Unheard Voices

Central Vice President of Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s student wing JCD, and ex VP of Barisal BM College student’s union and Barisal city unit JCD President, Mr Moshiul Alam Sentu was arrested from Dhaka yesterday. It was reported in Newspapers yesterday. This second page small report in a vernacular daily described how he was picked up and taken to undisclosed location yesterday.

If Bangladesh media still retain the slightest trace of sensitivity, I feel Mr Sentu will get a better coverage in tomorrows newspapers. He was killed today by RAB.

Just like that. That easy!

Members of the defence forces pick up an opposition political leader without any arrest warrant and take him away blindfolded. Then within several hours, without any court proceedings, any charges, any chance of defense, that man is shot and killed. And this is executed by members of government law enforcement agencies and defence forces. And that is not the end of the story. The tortured and mutilated body of the victim is then thrown in a public place in his own locality for public viewing.

Welcome to political season 2008-2009. Welcome to post 1/11 Bangladesh.

Full Investigation Report from Odhikar

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Rizwan Hossain is a well known tv host among the Londoni Bangladeshis for his work for Islamic charities. The statement below speaks for itself and tells a story of despicable brutality unleashed upon him by 5 air force officers at ZIA International Airport. An ISPR release said today that an investigative commission has been formed. The chance of anything happening is slightly brightened because of the fact that Rizwan is a British citizen. As with other similar cases, this news was completely blacked out in Bangladeshi media.

I travelled to Bangladesh on 11th April 2008 to visit my ailing father who is currently at Square Hospital suffering from final stages of Lung Disease.

On 14th April, I travelled to Dhaka to see off my sister, brother in law and baby nephew at Zia International Airport, she was due to fly back to the UK on BA145 at 08.00 hours. I entered the airport with his family through Door 23 having purchased a ticket for 500 taka. I accompanied my sister to the British Airways counter, assisted her to check in and then my sister then proceeded on to the departure lounge.

I proceeded to leave the airport to return to my car in the car park, just as I was leaving I was approached by an elderly woman (from Loughborough) who informed me of some problems she was facing with her ticket with emirates. It transpired that this lady was the mother in law of Abdul Mozid Taher (greater Sylhet council). Abdul Mozid Taher also called at that point from UK and requested me to assist his mother in law and young sister at the airport. On this request, I spoke to the emirates check-in counter and explained the ladies problem.

The emirates check in officer Jami asked me to wait a little while and he would get back to him if a solution can be found. I stayed a little while to help her. A few minutes later I was approached by security staff and asked how I got in. I explained that I had entered to see off my sister, husband, and child and presently was trying to help the elderly lady.

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