Odhikar is committed to defend the dignity, freedom and rights of the people of Bangladesh, as human beings as well as citizens, consistent with declarations, covenants, protocols and principles of human rights. Odhikar unconditionally stands for the victim and acts to bring offenders to justice. We investigate, expose and analyse human rights violations and hold abuser accountable. Odhikar does not essentialise human rights as abstract international laws but as historically achieved global consciousness and consensus to educate and organize oppressed people to fight inequality, injustice and discrimination, both individually and collectively. Odhikar considers the human rights movement in Bangladesh as constitutive of democracy and integral to the just struggle of the people of Bangladesh to have a democratic constitution and a state corresponding to it. Human Rights Report 2012/Odhikar/Page 1 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2012 Odhikar Report on Bangladesh January 12, 2013 Human Rights Report 2012/Odhikar/Page 2 Table of Contents Contents Page No. Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 9 CHAPTER I: INCREASING RISKS IN HUMAN RIGHT ACTIVITIES ............................. 10 Human Right Defenders are detained and harassed ........................................................ 10 Barring Participation in Odhikar’s Meeting on Enforced Disappearance ....................... 10 Woman Human Rights Defender harassed and suspended from her job ......................... 11 Increased Surveillance and Obstruction of Odhikar’s Activities ..................................... 12 Banning Activities of International NGOs ...................................................................... 13 CHAPTER II: CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS ................................................................ 15 Freedom of Thought and Speech ............................................................................................. 15 Violence and repression against journalists ..................................................................... 15 Freedom of Expression ............................................................................................................ 18 “Sedition”: Government’s tool to repress dissents .......................................................... 18 Banning YouTube ............................................................................................................ 21 Freedom of Assembly .............................................................................................................. 23 Systematic obstruction of meetings and processions ....................................................... 24 Mass protest movements .................................................................................................. 25 Repressive Policies against ‘Islamists’ .................................................................................... 27 Abuse of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure ............................................... 28 Ethnic and Religious Discriminations ..................................................................................... 29 Ethnic minorities .............................................................................................................. 30 Religious minorities ......................................................................................................... 31 The situation of Rohingyas .............................................................................................. 32 Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act 2012 .................................................................................. 34 Fair Trial .................................................................................................................................. 35 President’s clemency for criminals .................................................................................. 36 ‘Politically motivated’ cases ............................................................................................ 36 BDR mutiny trial verdict ................................................................................................. 37 International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) ................................................................................ 38 CHAPTER III: VIOLENCE BY POLITICAL PARTIES ....................................................... 40 Partisan Violence ..................................................................................................................... 40 Brutal public killing of Bishwajit ............................................................................................ 44 Followup of the death of Sanaullah Noor Babu....................................................................... 45 CHAPTER IV: RIGHT TO LIFE ............................................................................................ 47 Extrajudicial Killings ............................................................................................................... 47 ‘Elimination’ of political leaders ..................................................................................... 48 Types of deaths ................................................................................................................ 49 Identities of the deceased ................................................................................................. 50 CHAPTER V: TORTURE & OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT ........................................................................................ 51 Torture...................................................................................................................................... 51 Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment ....................................................................... 54 Human Rights Report 2012/Odhikar/Page 3 Enforced Disappearance .......................................................................................................... 56 Prisoners and Human Rights .................................................................................................... 59 Death in prison and prison conditions ............................................................................. 59 Public Lynching ....................................................................................................................... 62 CHAPTER VI: BANGLADESH–INDIA RELATIONSHIPS ................................................ 63 Bangladesh–India Border Situation ................................................................................. 63 Broken promises .............................................................................................................. 65 People struggling for self-determination arrested .................................................................... 68 CHAPTER VII: LIVELIHOOD RIGHTS ............................................................................... 69 Worker’s Rights ....................................................................................................................... 69 Tazreen Fashions Limited: A blood stained factory and irresponsible comments of BGMEA ........................................................................................................................... 73 Violation of the Rights to Adequate Standard of Living ......................................................... 76 Slum eviction without alternative arrangement ............................................................... 76 CHAPTER VIII: VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN .............................................................. 78 Sexual Harassment/Stalking ............................................................................................ 78 Rape ................................................................................................................................. 80 Dowry‐Related Violence ......................................................................................................... 83 Acid Violence .......................................................................................................................... 85 Illegal Fatwa and Illegal Arbitration ........................................................................................ 86 CHAPTER IX: PERFORMANCE OF NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS .................................. 89 The Judiciary ............................................................................................................................ 89 Police........................................................................................................................................ 90 Political use of the police force ........................................................................................ 90 Bribery and corruption within the police force ................................................................ 91 The National Human Rights Commission ............................................................................... 91 The Anti-Corruption Commission ........................................................................................... 92 The Information Commission .................................................................................................. 95 Joint Submission