Minority rights leader alleges harassment by Bangladesh police

by Special Correspondent
January 12, 2010

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/397/minority-rights-leader-alleges-harassment-by

Advocate Rabindra Ghosh, president, Bangladesh Minority Watch [BDMW], who is an eminent human rights activist, who tirelessly works for rights of religious minorities in Bangladesh of physical assault by a senior police officer in Dhaka on January 10, 2010.

In a written statement, Advocate Ghosh said, "I, Advocate Rabindra Ghosh along with Advocate Ranjit Chandra Dey, Manik Chandra Sarkar, Shib Shankar Dey and Monoranjan Das on behalf of BDMW visited the office of Mr. Md. Moklesur Rahman, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Segun Bagicha, Dhaka Range, Bangladesh to impart legal assistance to minority victims who became target of continuous discrimination by the officer-in-charge of Kaliganj Police station in connection with Kaliganj P.S. Case No. 15 dated 20.11.2009, which was lodged under section 7/30 of Women and Children Repression Act, 2003 [Abduction and forceful conversion of minor Hindu girl Ms. Tulshi Rani Das [12] of Gazipur district].

"I solicited permission to meet Md. Moklesur Rahman, DIG of Police who after one hour continuous waiting allowed us to enter into his room at about 4 p.m. on 10^th January, 2010. We entered the office room of Md. Moklesur Rahman with an application signed by victim's father, Monoranjan Das seeking necessary steps to hand over the victim girl from custody of perpetrators to her parents and for arresting the perpetrators who were continuously threatening Hindu father of the victim to withdraw the case from the police station.

"During our conversation, we were trying to hand over the application of Monoranjan Das to Md. Moklesur Rahman. But Mr. Md.Moklesur Rahman, Deputy Inspector General of police became angry at me and said, "You are a terrorist, trying to intimidate my police officers working in different parts of Bangladesh which is a punishable offense and black-mailing police department. DIG of Police continued to say "We received series of allegations against you intimidating police officers thus hampering prestige and dignity of the police department. Get out from my room."

Advocate Rabindra Ghosh further wrote, "Md. Moklesur Rahman then stood up from his chair with angry mood and called a police constable to get me out from his room forcefully. The police constable being instructed by the DIG of Police caught hold my black coat and dragged me out from the office room in presence of four other human rights activists present on the spot. I became physically and psychologically harassed by the DIG of Police and the constable. I felt insulted and injured causing severe pain in my head and brain.

"Thereafter I tried to communicate with Mr. Nur Mohammad, Inspector General of Police to inform him such vindictive attitude of DIG. But his cell telephone was found switched off. Then I also tried to contact Ms. Sahara Khatun, Minister for Home Affairs, Government of Bangladesh. Her cell phone was also switched off."

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