Commentary: Image of RAB is a matter of grave concern and shame
Editorial Desk :
RAB must give up the idea of crossfire killing. As we have no responsible and honest politics all other government institutions have to show how responsible and patriotic they are for the image of Bangladesh. Law enforcing agencies are to prove that as a nation we believe in rule of law and respectful of human rights.
Reports of excesses committed by members of law enforcing agencies including elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police are frequently coming to the media. Out of countless incidents only a few get media coverage as in most cases the victims usually do not dare to report matters of excesses committed by law enforcing agencies out of fear of further retaliations.
A widely circulated vernacular daily on Friday carried a report of abduction of a jeweller’s shop owner of Chittagong by RAB for lodging a case against it.
Shelly Rani, wife of Mridul Chowdhury of Old Telegraph Road, Chittagong
narrated story of her anxiety for her abducted husband who remains traceless since he was picked up by RAB on February 11 on his way to the shop from his house. An abduction case was filed with Kotwali thana in this connection.
Shimul Chowdhury, brother of Mridul Chowdhury alleged that Major Rakibul Amin of RAB-2 had taken away sixty tola gold from his brother’s shop on October 3, 2013. A case was filed with Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s court of Dhaka against Major Amin, RAB source Farhad Chowdhury and driver Babul Pal. Mridul Chowdhury said that his brother might have been abducted for going to the court against the RAB officer.
Major Amin however, denied his involvement in the incident of disappearance of Mridul Chowdhury. Additional Commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), Banoj Kumar Majumder told the daily that the matter was under investigation.
Meanwhile, at least 10 persons were injured in a clash between RAB and local people at Galachipa area, Narayanganj on Sunday night. The Officer in Charge of Narayanganj Sadar Model police station Manjur Kader told the media that plainclothes team of RAB-11 raided Rupar Bari area of Galachipa on Sunday night to arrest a criminal but they were encircled by the local people taking them for robbers and even beat them, leaving three RAB members injured. A motor cycle of RAB was also damaged. RAB personnel opened fire to bring the situation under control, he said.
A Dhaka court on Thursday directed the Police Commissioner of Gulshan Zone in the city to submit a report within a month in a case filed against two Sub-Inspectors (SI) of Police of Bhatara thana in the city in connection with an incident of extortion against them.
Zahangir Mia, editor of a vernacular daily lodged the case with CMM court against two Sub-Inspectors of the police station for taking Tk. 20,000 from him under threat.
Meanwhile, a murder case was filed against three police men including the Officer in Charge of Shibpur thana in connection with the death of a young man identified as Mohsin Mia. The case was filed on February 10 with Chief Judicial Nagistrate of Narsingdi. Officer in Charge of Shibpur thana Kazi Mizanur Rahman, OC (Investigation) Maniruzzaman and constable Hanif are accused in the case. In another case a three-member investigation committee has been formed headed by Joint Commissioner (Crime) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) in connection with the sensational death of Jonny of Pallabi Irani camp on last Saturday night.
A case has been filed in this connection at the interference of local parliament member Elias Mollah. There was however, attempt to suppress the matter through payment of Tk five lakh to the victims family, Haider Ali, uncle of Jonny alleged.
Seven/ eight persons were picked up by Pallabi police led by SI Zahid from Pallabi Irani camp. Jonny worked as a driver of Zahid couple of years ago, report said adding he had joined as driver of Bangla Link having left job of Zahid. Of those picked up from the camp, two are now under treatment at Mirpur Islami Bank Hospital including Rocky, a brother of Jonny.
These are only a few out of countless examples of extra-judicial killings and excesses committed by members of law enforcing agencies, which have provoked sharp reaction from human rights bodies at home and abroad including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Ain o Shalish Kendra (ASK).
In another development The United States (US) has informed concerned authorities of Bangladesh that it would not continue with training programmes and assistance for RAB citing a gross violation of human rights against the elite force. The letter of the USA said, “Individual members and units of the RAB are ineligible for US training and assistance as a result of gross violation of human rights which have been committed by RAB members.”
The IGP however, refused to make any comment in this regard.
Copies of the letter signed by the charge d’ affaires at the US embassy in Dhaka Jon F. Donilowiez, on February 3 were reportedly sent to concerned authorities including Home Secretary, IGP and DG of RAB.
At least 760 people were killed extra-judicially by the battalion till August last since the formation of the elite force in 2004, according to human rights body Odhikar.
The US administration wanted effective steps to bring members responsible for such rights violations to justice for the continuity of the US-funded training programme, the letter said.
We do not expect much from the ministers who believe in politicizing to serve their power politics. The leaders of the law enforcing agencies who are otherwise educated and trained persons should give serious thought to the matter and take necessary steps to stop excesses committed by members of RAB and other agencies as a sizeable number of our police also work in UN Peace Mission. Killing in the name of crossfire confrontation has got to stop. It is time that the decision makers seriously ponder over the matter why the law enforcing agencies, RAB or anybody else should feel they have no accountability under law.
RAB must give up the idea of crossfire killing. As we have no responsible and honest politics all other government institutions have to show how responsible and patriotic they are for the image of Bangladesh. Law enforcing agencies are to prove that as a nation we believe in rule of law and respectful of human rights.
Reports of excesses committed by members of law enforcing agencies including elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police are frequently coming to the media. Out of countless incidents only a few get media coverage as in most cases the victims usually do not dare to report matters of excesses committed by law enforcing agencies out of fear of further retaliations.
A widely circulated vernacular daily on Friday carried a report of abduction of a jeweller’s shop owner of Chittagong by RAB for lodging a case against it.
Shelly Rani, wife of Mridul Chowdhury of Old Telegraph Road, Chittagong
narrated story of her anxiety for her abducted husband who remains traceless since he was picked up by RAB on February 11 on his way to the shop from his house. An abduction case was filed with Kotwali thana in this connection.
Shimul Chowdhury, brother of Mridul Chowdhury alleged that Major Rakibul Amin of RAB-2 had taken away sixty tola gold from his brother’s shop on October 3, 2013. A case was filed with Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s court of Dhaka against Major Amin, RAB source Farhad Chowdhury and driver Babul Pal. Mridul Chowdhury said that his brother might have been abducted for going to the court against the RAB officer.
Major Amin however, denied his involvement in the incident of disappearance of Mridul Chowdhury. Additional Commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), Banoj Kumar Majumder told the daily that the matter was under investigation.
Meanwhile, at least 10 persons were injured in a clash between RAB and local people at Galachipa area, Narayanganj on Sunday night. The Officer in Charge of Narayanganj Sadar Model police station Manjur Kader told the media that plainclothes team of RAB-11 raided Rupar Bari area of Galachipa on Sunday night to arrest a criminal but they were encircled by the local people taking them for robbers and even beat them, leaving three RAB members injured. A motor cycle of RAB was also damaged. RAB personnel opened fire to bring the situation under control, he said.
A Dhaka court on Thursday directed the Police Commissioner of Gulshan Zone in the city to submit a report within a month in a case filed against two Sub-Inspectors (SI) of Police of Bhatara thana in the city in connection with an incident of extortion against them.
Zahangir Mia, editor of a vernacular daily lodged the case with CMM court against two Sub-Inspectors of the police station for taking Tk. 20,000 from him under threat.
Meanwhile, a murder case was filed against three police men including the Officer in Charge of Shibpur thana in connection with the death of a young man identified as Mohsin Mia. The case was filed on February 10 with Chief Judicial Nagistrate of Narsingdi. Officer in Charge of Shibpur thana Kazi Mizanur Rahman, OC (Investigation) Maniruzzaman and constable Hanif are accused in the case. In another case a three-member investigation committee has been formed headed by Joint Commissioner (Crime) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) in connection with the sensational death of Jonny of Pallabi Irani camp on last Saturday night.
A case has been filed in this connection at the interference of local parliament member Elias Mollah. There was however, attempt to suppress the matter through payment of Tk five lakh to the victims family, Haider Ali, uncle of Jonny alleged.
Seven/ eight persons were picked up by Pallabi police led by SI Zahid from Pallabi Irani camp. Jonny worked as a driver of Zahid couple of years ago, report said adding he had joined as driver of Bangla Link having left job of Zahid. Of those picked up from the camp, two are now under treatment at Mirpur Islami Bank Hospital including Rocky, a brother of Jonny.
These are only a few out of countless examples of extra-judicial killings and excesses committed by members of law enforcing agencies, which have provoked sharp reaction from human rights bodies at home and abroad including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Ain o Shalish Kendra (ASK).
In another development The United States (US) has informed concerned authorities of Bangladesh that it would not continue with training programmes and assistance for RAB citing a gross violation of human rights against the elite force. The letter of the USA said, “Individual members and units of the RAB are ineligible for US training and assistance as a result of gross violation of human rights which have been committed by RAB members.”
The IGP however, refused to make any comment in this regard.
Copies of the letter signed by the charge d’ affaires at the US embassy in Dhaka Jon F. Donilowiez, on February 3 were reportedly sent to concerned authorities including Home Secretary, IGP and DG of RAB.
At least 760 people were killed extra-judicially by the battalion till August last since the formation of the elite force in 2004, according to human rights body Odhikar.
The US administration wanted effective steps to bring members responsible for such rights violations to justice for the continuity of the US-funded training programme, the letter said.
We do not expect much from the ministers who believe in politicizing to serve their power politics. The leaders of the law enforcing agencies who are otherwise educated and trained persons should give serious thought to the matter and take necessary steps to stop excesses committed by members of RAB and other agencies as a sizeable number of our police also work in UN Peace Mission. Killing in the name of crossfire confrontation has got to stop. It is time that the decision makers seriously ponder over the matter why the law enforcing agencies, RAB or anybody else should feel they have no accountability under law.