By IANS
Dhaka : Human rights watchdog Amnesty International has urged Bangladesh to ensure that excesses committed against students, teachers and others following three days of campus riots last month are investigated and those responsible punished.
In a letter to Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, Amnesty International referred to a newly established judicial investigation body headed by Justice Habibur Rahman Khan that is to submit its findings to the government on Sep 11.
The organisation calls on the government to ensure that the inquiry is fully independent, has access to all persons and information that it considers relevant to its inquiries, and is able to ensure protection of witnesses.
The inquiry’s conclusions and recommendations should be made public, and the government should issue a public response indicating the steps it will take to implement recommendations made by the inquiry, Amnesty has demanded.
The letter from Amnesty International’s Secretary General Irene Khan – of Bangladesh origin herself – followed reports of excessive use of force by security personnel following outbreaks of violence involving student demonstrators and law enforcement personnel in Dhaka and several other cities between Aug 20 and 22.
“Use of excessive force by police as well as reports of torture and ill-treatment of detainees while being interrogated by law enforcement personnel is of deep concern. Detainees have also been denied access to lawyers and family members in clear violation of international human rights standards,” Khan wrote.
Demonstrations occurred after an altercation between students and military personnel attending a soccer match at Dhaka University on August 20. Several students were beaten by soldiers.
In subsequent, often violent, protests hundreds were reportedly injured as law enforcement personnel used sticks, rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse demonstrators. At least one person was killed after being hit by a rubber bullet at Rajshahi University on Aug 22, according to media reports.
Several law enforcement personnel were also injured by stones and bricks thrown by protestors.
Amnesty also urged the authorities to take concrete measures with regard to the reports of torture and ill-treatment of detainees at the hands of members of the security forces.
Media reports Wednesday said that two Dhaka University teachers have been sent to jail, and four teachers from Rajshahi University, absconding earlier, might surrender.
Amnesty International expressed concern for those detained and denied access to lawyers and family members for extended periods, including Dhaka University professors Harun ur Rashid and Anwar Hossain and Rajshahi University professors Sayedur Rahman Khan, Abdus Sobhan and Moloy Kumar Bhowmik.