Aditi Sen Gupta - victim of moral Policing?
Following was sent by Farhad Mahmud, former MD of Ekushey TV. I believe this case deserves special attention not only as it speaks volume on how we compromise on consistency in having rule of law when it suits us but also how there is a bit of perverse satisfaction on condemning a woman for her alleged “moral torpitude”.
I would like to bring to your attention, an Auditi Sen Gupta, who was on the national dailies briefly a week or so back. There were many distasteful remarks about her; ‘Mamun’s concubine’ by one newspaper, ‘anti-social element’ by another. Some newspapers were also prone to overt dramatization of the events leading to her arrest without charges. It almost seemed like that in the midst of all the serious happenings people required a dose of light-hearted comic relief at her expense. The general impression was “serves her right for daring to violate our middle-class morality”.
We don’t know where she is now and what’s happening to her. But we do know (from the newspapers again) that she had an 18 month old year old daughter living with her before she was taken away. It was difficult to stop the child crying insistently from the day she left. Auditi is a single mother, her husband separated from her a year back.
I am writing about her because this is a person I knew briefly during my Ekushey days. An intelligent and good looking young woman conversant in all subjects, politics, literature, music. She was the first young woman to interview Golam Azam right after he got back his citizenship. She was also highly opinionated and did not hesitate to speak her mind.
I have no idea what her relationship with Mamun was and I am not interested to know. But I do believe this alone should not be the reason for her arrest, even if some of us find her moral indiscretion ‘inexcusable’.
How many like her have fallen through the cracks of justice and are forgotten, we do not know. There are very few who will stand beside them in their moment of crisis, being preoccupied and involved with larger issues of greater national significance. As human rights activists let us not forget there is a very human story behind all this.”
February 27th, 2007 at 10:52 am
She truly is a “casualty of war”. As far as I know Aditi had never been politically involved. She had been active as a cultural artist and worked in the media profession since the early days of private television channels. With her assignment as an Officer at Channel 1 she probably became associated or even friends with some of these powerful and corrupt people.
In any event, what she did in her personal sphere really should be none of the state’s business. When the state becomes a moral police that sends a very dangerous signal. She definitely did not deserve to be hauled up during the early days of the emergency rule and charged with “treason” and “being a threat to national security” under the Special Powers Act.
And the character assassination carried out by some of the newspapers right after her arrest was truly despicable. The way her school-going daughter’s pictures were publish was totally uncalled for…. (I think her daughter is about twelve years old and not eighteen months). Our journalists need to become a lot more professional.
February 27th, 2007 at 11:31 am
ADITI is our relative somwhow. It is very sad that is going on her now.
But she , herself, is truley responsible for the misdeeds on her. We, all relatives of ADITI, were wonder that a second TINNI occurance might be happened!
But GOD saves her!
Pray for her.
Sushanta Das Gupta
February 27th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
Sushanta,
Can you please elaborate on why you think she is responsible for the state treating her this way? Any evidence? Also who decides if she is responsible or not? Will it be okay if the state throws you in jail if you happen to have been associated with some goon? Guilt by association until proven innoncent? Will that approach be okay by you when it comes to you being affected? So is there a double standard because she happens to be a woman and how dare she does things which YOU think is immoral?
February 27th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Dear Asif Bhai,
We, all relatives of ADITI, love her very much and we always pray to GOD she would be OK where she is now.
But she used to love fame and fame and she DEFINITELY used Mamun to reach her destiny and gave up her nice family life. She was actually very happy in her family life.You can’t imagine how happy she was!
We feel, she could normally gain her destiny. Above all the matter, I would request all of you involved in DP to through all the questions (that are asked to me) to CG. They would give a better answer.
Very regards to ADITI.
Sushanta
February 27th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Even if she had engaged in full-scale orgies, it wouldn’t necessarily make her a bad person at heart. People with the most puritanical views on relationships can do things to hurt other people. The people who were so quick to write about her “misdeeds” and spared little thought for her feelings or those of her family should be careful about their own glass houses, so to speak. I for one am going to pray that she has kinder and more compassionate people in her life.
February 27th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Very Well, Sushanta. But it seems to me that you have decided that you, just being a virtue of a distant relative, know what made her happy and her misdeeds. Also you are passing summary judgement on her character. But on what right? Besides, this argument on her supposed “misdeed” is not the crux of the argument as Farhad bhai has said above.
” I have no idea what her relationship with Mamun was and I am not interested to know. But I do believe this alone should not be the reason for her arrest, even if some of us find her supposed moral indiscretion ‘inexcusable’. “
February 27th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
As usual Bangali middle class ghorana is the most close-minded, reactionary, hypocritical element in our entire society. When Ershad fell, one of the distasteful moments was when people rumored to be Ershad’s mistresses where being “disrobed” by our “brave” student activists of AL and BNP. Thokhon tho keu ekta kotha o bole nai, khali moja dekse.
Farhad bhai, please turn this into an op-ed and I will leave no stone unturned to make sure DAILY STAR or NEW AGE publishes it.
To hell with our Bangali double standards and reactionary sex police! What people do in their private life is their business.
February 27th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Asif Bhai
I might not express my views properly. If my words were wrong, forgive me.
But , the DP’s people should do something better for her. Through the ADIT’s Issue to CG by means of HUMANITY.
Sushanta
February 27th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
It was reported in the newspaper that Aditi went to Singapore 41 time in a year. It was also hinted that Mamun used her to send his illegal money abroad. May be that is the reason why she got arrested.
Still whatever the reason is, we all would like to know why she’s behind the bars. The govt should not keep information suppressed, we, as citizens, have the right to know why another citizen is being arrested and harassed. If she’s innocent, her illicit relationship with Mamun is not enough to keep her inside.
February 27th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
Asif , I feel you did extremely right thing to have this write up. This posting is come on the basis of human rights and Every one of this country has right to get the proper Justice.
on initial hype people may be very enthusiastic. But Basic , core right should not be violated.
well Sushanata my opinion is that her family life and all are extremely the private matter and those can’t be the parameters of Justice or injustice.
As an intelligent youngster, I am sure you will Judge the thing in more global and specified way.
February 27th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
I think our speculative minds are on “over-drive”.
In the absence of any formal charges, people are making assumptions about why she has been confined. This government truly needs to make sure that at least the primary reason for confining an individual are made known publicly.
As for her alleged trips to Singapore supposedly to transfer funds, that could very well be a plausible reason for her arrest but in that case that is what should be made public.
And finally, why should a common citizen try to peek into another’s bed-room is beyond me. Won’t we ever learn to respect privacy. Sadly, character assasination is a favorite pastime in this corner of the world.
February 27th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
This is no different than stoning a girl in the village because she got pregnant before marriage as if she got pregnant by herself.
I agree 100% with naeem.
Who is the government to tell her what she should be doing in her private life?
February 27th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
I was not surprised by certain newspapers attitude to portray a woman as “loose” and “immoral”. Afterall we know how “moral” these newspapers are. I was also not surprised by the subsequesnt arrest of Auditi. The democratically elected ones did that for the last 15 years. How can we expect better treatment from a technocrat+martial-law govt? Presumption of innocence is an unknown word in Bangladesh. But what surprised me is that we have to argue with our fellow citizens (in this case a relative of Auditi) that her personal “misdeeds” are irrelevant grounds for “treason” and “national security”. I hope we Bengalis (especially the middle class) critically look at ourselves in the mirror. I bet we will not like what we see.
February 27th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
I don’t know why gov’t arrested her, that’s not what I was referring to. I was referring to the specific comments about her private life, in papers and on blogs. That is what I referred to as moddhyo bitthyo ghorana.
February 27th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
Is Bangladeshi media so low that it gets off on this kinda stuff?
If people want to promote things like chastity or whatever, public humiliation is defo the most stupid, ikky and graceless way of doing it.
February 27th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
I think This thread should not loose direction.Sushanta has expressed his opinion only. Later on He explained his standing to
Asif that,
“Asif Bhai
I might not express my views properly. If my words were wrong, forgive me.”
But I feel every one has right to express his/ her opinion and It may or may not be right
to Every bloger. But what I like of Sushanta He has big heart to change his opinion for justice. So I think we should more
concentrate this thing on the point of human right not as the spicy journalism of some newspaper of Bangladesh.
February 27th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
I am completely in support of this government’s war on corruption. However, it’s treatment of the detainees has greatly disappointed me. If it is true that nobody knows where Ms Sen Gupta is (and I dread to think in what condition)and there has been no specific charges filed against her then her fundamental rights are being breached. As far as I know, Bangladeshi law recognises the concept of habeas corpus. In the absence of a reason to justify her imprisonment the concept renders it unlawful to detain her, which should allow her to apply to be released. At the very least, she would have the right to be presented to the court.
I must emphasise that this has to be the case for every individual imprisoned so far, “raghob bowal” or not, alleged godfather or petty highjacker. It is rumoured that one of the detainees has been secretly taken to London for medical reasons, he was beaten up so badly. There’s another rumour that one other may have died. While I don’t know how much truth there is to any of these stories (if any at all)I do know that the government is ignoring a lot of important procedures which are essential for a judicial system to work fairly. During the rule of the last government Partho Shaha was detained and tortured for over a year, completely ignoring any sort of principles, legal or moral. It is ironic of course that some of the poeple detained now would have been directly or indirectly responsible for the suffering of Partho Shaha and many others detained without charges. However, a human rights violation is a human rights violation irrespective of the identity of the human being at the receiving end and we must speak out agianst it. I have noted with pride that our trusted human rights organisations are mindful of this and are exploring ways to address the situation.
February 27th, 2007 at 11:52 pm
Men are always little weaker to female. Perhaps so is me.
But are we not doing farily injustice to men?
I don’t personally want personal issues, be it for men or women, so much be the subject of discussion in media unless it affects our nation negatively.
Public, I believe, has the right to criticize anyting of the national role-model, like Khaleda Zia, Hasina or Fakruddin or Yunus if they derail, perverse or get morally bankrupt that might affect too many of our citizens.
Public figure/celebrity should be very cautious even in their personal or private lives because by virtue of their being models they become the public wealth; they become the part of public pride and prejudice.
But what about Mamoon and Auiditi! They are not so much celebrity or any figure of public respect. Asif and other in this thread expressed their worries about personal matters of Auditi. But why we fail to show same extent of sensitivity to private/personal matters about Mamoon. Why don’t we raise our voice or protest, not drag Mamoon’s private life in media. Are we not showing gender discrimination against male in so doing?
Thanks.
February 28th, 2007 at 1:47 am
Where is Giasuddin Mamun??
No one seem to know where he is. His family sources claim he was being arrested. Then some JF sources deny it, and some say he is being detained and not arrested. Meanwhile DuDoK is attaching his wealth because he did not submit his wealth statement himself and he is not in jail. There are conflicting news in some of the dailies. Definitely mystery is shrouding over his whereabouts.
This raises the question, ‘where is Auditi?’ Is she in police custody for sure? It is natural to interrogate associates of a suspect in custody. But if she is being detained this long without charges or evidence just because she was G.Mamun’s girlfriend, then it is totally unacceptable.
To sum up our puritanical middle class views, social standing of women, and our stereotypical judgmental mentality: GMamun has many allegations against him but ‘loose’ character is not one of them despite the fact that he is married and at the same time living together (married according to some sources) with another women. But some of the newspaper tried to portray Auditi as a slut or a kept. Ektu rash paile oita na makhaile ki hoi? Purusher abar kalanka ki?
ps: I have no problem with either GMamun or Auditi’s personal lifestyle.
February 28th, 2007 at 4:27 am
I am truly overwhelmed by the show of support to Auditi’s case. Even if it is only one case in 51,000 detained illegally, it is a position we should not hesitate to take.
I suggest the following:
1. Must find out immediately where Auditi is and how she is being treated. A person can’t (and should not) go missing in state custody. I know Asif has already started the process.
2. Be informed of her immediate family’s status, especially her daughter (whether or not she is under protection).
3. Find out if her fundamental human rights are abused, and if so, to what extent.
4. Exert pressure on the government for fair treatment and under the law.
5. If charges cannot be framed, insist that she should be released immediately.
Farhad
February 28th, 2007 at 7:30 am
Separate from debate about morality, etc, the issue of why Giasuddin Mamun has not been heard from is known to many in Dhaka.
1. The big challenge for CTG is the biggest fish of all Tarique Zia, who eludes their grasp. Giasuddin Mamun is the missing link in all this. To quote a journalist, he is the person who “knows where the bodies are buried”– a metaphor meaning he is the one who knows where the money trail can lead to TZ. He was rumored to be TZ’s bagman (money courier).
2. What is surely going on for last few weeks is an attempt to persuade GM “in custody” to turn state’s witness against TZ, in order to save himself (or get a reduced sentence). Of course calculation for GM surely is if he turns state’s witness against TZ, he will never again have a place in Bangladesh and TZ-aligned people will forever want to destroy him.
3. This may help people understand why GM has not been produced in court. Once he is produced in court, the clock starts ticking on how long the CTG can hold him before they have to start going through due process legal case, etc. Thus the period where he is not being heard from is surely the period where he is being pressured to reveal money trail leading to TZ. Once he is produced in court, he changes custody and whoever is interrogating him now cannot do so (as easily).
4. Aditi is most likely caught up in that net as a way to pressure GM and also in the hopes that she also knows where some of the money is, if she was truly GM’s courier for sending money abroad (as is alleged).
5. Where all this gets complicated for a human rights blog is that many people in Dhaka know what is going on, but they are waiting & staying silent in the hopes that keeping GM in “special”/”invisible” custody will help net TZ– without which situation is not stabilized (and even with, it may not be).
February 28th, 2007 at 8:15 am
Dhaka,
These are all noble causes. However, human rights activists need only concern themselves with the human issue, leaving the task of judge, jury, law enforcer and executioner to others.
This is my personal opinion and may not reflect the views of all the members of DP.
Farhad
February 28th, 2007 at 10:54 am
I have a open question to all. Just a thought, not necesarrily what I believe.
In the light of what is going on in Bangladesh can there be any possibility of one person’s right being violated in the interest of many? say in the case of a murderer or a corrupt individual whose action has breached rights of many people. My question may not be related to this tread but would like to hear your views.
February 28th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
Mostaque,
Depends on what you mean by ‘rights being violated’.
If you are looking for justice, you cannot attain that by violating someone else’s rights.
If you are looking for redemption, I do not know how the people whose money were ’stolen’ will be redeemed by ‘taking it out’ on Mamun (or his friend/s in this case).
If you are talking about making an example for future deterrent, proper justice dealt out on those guilty should suffice.
Any excess beyond any of the above could only mean appeasing our own collective guilt through a perverted process of exercising another injustice.
Farhad
February 28th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Mustaque and Farhad,
I was caught in a moral dilemma and had posed a similar question a few weeks ago. We assume ‘human right’ to be independent and exclusive and everybody should have their rights. But what if granting one his rights jeopardizes the rights of many!!
These corrupt politicians and businessmen have deprived millions of their rights. If they are held under special act without any specific charges, so that a case against them could be built, should we support or oppose that?? Once free they may destroy evidences, coerce witnesses, and violate rights of million more. What should be our stand point? I tend to vacillate both ways.
February 28th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
I am very much sad about the the sufferings of the Aditi Sen Gupta.
But ,if she is innocent , she should be free from jail.
If you are close friend of corrupt ,police may ask you question .If they get important clue , they may arrest you.
At last I hope Aditi will get justice.
March 1st, 2007 at 1:06 am
CTG should Launch an impartial investigation about any illegal financial link, Aditi might have with Giasuddin Mamun. She should not be treated exceptionally for being a woman and a mother. How can an honest lady be ‘close’ to a well-known ‘crook’ like Mamun?
March 1st, 2007 at 7:56 am
Farhad Mahmud: Are you interested, as Naeem M suggested, to turn this into an op-ed for Daily Star? Plz let me know.
March 1st, 2007 at 9:55 am
Tasneem Khalil,
I am happy to do this. At the same time I would like to get more information about what’s hapening with her right now. Can anyone help ?
Farhad
March 1st, 2007 at 1:57 pm
She has been arrested to put pressure on Mamun and find details about him. In the way, interim authority has victimized her. Unfortunately she is not the only person who has been victimized by current authority; there are thousands languishing in the jail without any charge. Statements under duress are not acceptable under any civilized justice system. In fact co operation under duress is one of the prominent features of “Kangaroo court”.
“Kangaroo court” under the thumb of interim authority has taken the direction of “guilty until proven innocence”. What appalling though, known characters in legal, Sushil and media profession, who were screaming top of their lung brandishing their human side are all tacitly backing interim govt “guilty until proven innocence” doctrine.
March 3rd, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Let us pray and be respectful to them who knowingly the in-depth facts of the case about Aditi engaged themselves to the issue and seeing overtly we are aloud on hypothesis.
March 3rd, 2007 at 1:02 pm
erd,
Can you please explain in plain English what you are saying ? Those three lines don’t make any sense to me at all.
Farhad
March 7th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Hi, I’m kind of lost for words to see how people just like to follow what the the 1st person started. I am someone who knew aditi very closely, I worked with her for a year. She was the most ambitous lady I have ever seen. She will do anything that takes to get what she likes. Even if it was to backstab her best friend. What I want to say here is that unless its proven that she is innocent, I wouldn’t raise my voice for her.
March 13th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
Hi Fauzi,
I got interested in this particular thread just because of the ‘Sengupta’ surname in the context of Bangladesh and someone called ‘Mamun” (Mamoon?)… Perhaps you are (were?) one of her friends (?) who had thought that Aditi (Auditi?) had backstbbed him. So I can jolly well appreciate the fact that you would be the last one to raise your voice in her support. Enjoy your indirect victory. As far as I can understand the situation, she appears to be hated by some and loved by others at the same time. Interesting girl! But these are all personal opinions. As an independent viewer, I cannot but be reminded of the Gestapo or KGB and lots of other less well-(bad)-known secret terror agents of police-states, when I read that she has just disappeared!! be she a woman, a mother, good, bad or whatever you may choose to call her, above all she is an human being. I cannot believe in today’s world this can happen in a civilised state. Have a nice day.
March 15th, 2007 at 4:40 am
Hi Aniruddha! I guess u have not understood what i wanted to say. I dont know whether Aditi backstabbed mamun or still being on his side, I dont even care. This is not my war so the ‘victory’ you are refering to is not really is of my interest.
March 15th, 2007 at 4:58 am
Who is going to prove that she is innocent unless someone raises his/her voice for her? I can see why someone who is viewed as a backstabber would arouse less sympathy than someone who isn’t, but in any case, I think the point was that people have rights, even those people who might not be well-liked. And treating someone with kindness irrespective of that person’s personality is, in my opinion, a good thing. We could all use a little more kindness in our lives, especially on days when things might not necessarily be going well for us. But then, “You get what you give” is a very idealistic notion, in both good and bad ways.
March 15th, 2007 at 7:34 am
Dhanmondi OC submits petition to show Adity arrested
Court Correspondent
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Dhamondi Police Station yesterday submitted a petition to a Dhaka court for showing a detained employee of private television channel 1 Adity Sengupta arrested under Section 16(2) of the Emergency Ordinance 2007.
Adity was arrested on December 31 last year for her alleged involvement in criminal activities and later she was given a one month’s detention under the Special Powers Act on January 22. The law enforcement agencies are investigating the charges brought against her.
The forwarding report placed before the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM), Dhaka said that Adity was financially benefited being directly or indirectly involved in crimes like corruption and tender bidding of Giasuddin Al Mamun, managing director (MD) of channel 1.
Besides, she assisted Mamun in committing crimes, including corruption and had got involved herself in those crimes for financial gains. So, the process is underway to file a case against her to detain her in jail custody until the investigation is completed, the report added.
But the petition for showing her arrested will be placed before the court today for taking next steps.
Daily Star report:
http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/03/14/d70314061293.htm
March 15th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
Hi Fauzi, my friend,
Mine was just a passing comment and nothing to be taken seriously. I truly understand your sentiments and how much holier than thou am I to blame you (and even her relative Mr. Dasgupta) for feeling “it serves her right”. However, it is good that she has been traced now and has not simply ‘dissappeared’ as I had first thought. My apologies to your Govt.
I have studied your media reports since Jan. As I read the situation, Aditi Sengupta is about to become a hapless ‘Shikhondi’ standing in front of mamun as the authorities try to bring down Tarique. manun will remain incognito and she will be forced to voice his dirt and face the music. I WOULD NOT WANT MY WORST ENEMY TO BE IN THIS HELLISH SITUATION. I feel extremely sorry for the lady. Her foresightless ambition has precipitated her into a vortex of grand-larceny, dirty politics and yellow journalism… I pray that when this is all over, she will be able to forget and start a new life with her little daughter in an enlightened direction that will take birth from her horrible past experience. But if your Govt. wishes to make an example out of her, then God be with her. Let Justice prevail. Have a nice day friend. We Indians and especially us, your bengali-speaking brothers on the other side of the fence are worried about you. Let Aditi’s little daughter grow up and NOT become aditi….
March 6th, 2008 at 4:17 am
Where is she now? Still in jail or your government released her.Hope her daughter and she is doing fine