BANGLADESH CITIZENS
We, all being citizens of Bangladesh, are deeply alarmed at the arrest of Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan, a lawyer and secretary of Odhikar, a human rights organization, and his being taken into police custody on a five-day remand. In ourexperience, remand is often accompanied by torture or ill-treatment, and we are therefore concerned about his safety and security in custody, particularly given the impunity which law enforcers appear to enjoy.
According to media reports, officers from the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police took Khan into custody from his residence in Dhakaat 10:20 p.m. on 10th August when he was just entering his residence along with his wife and children. According to such report, an SUV and a white minibus approached his house and about eight to ten men in plain clothes claiming to be from the Detective Branchforcibly entered the compound and surrounded Khan’s car. He was rushed away without either he or his family members being informed about where and why he was being taken. Although high-up police officials have said Adil was arrested in light of a case registered against him at Gulshan thana, thana officials claim that no such case had been registered against him at the local police station. This form of arbitrary detention is a clear violation of constitutionally guaranteed rights.
Adilur Rahman Khan is a human rights defender and his arrest shows the government’s increasingly hostile stand towards any criticism of its policies and alleged human rights violations. The government’s actions speak of wanting to clamp down on any space to talk about human rights, freedom of expression and opinion, prior to the parliamentary elections ahead. Odhikar has been reporting on disappearances and other alleged human rights abuses. We urge the authorities to immediately release Adilur Rahman Khan from custody.
Sara Hossain, Advocate, Supreme Court
Khushi Kabir, Human Rights Activist
Hameeda Hossain, Human Rights Activist
Sultana Kamal, Executive Director, Ain o Salish Kendra
Shaheen Anam, Human Rights Activist
Shireen Huq, Human Rights Activist
Anu Muhammad, Teacher, Economics department, Jahangirnagar University and member secretary, National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports
Rahnuma Ahmed, Writer
Iftekharuzaman, Executive Director, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB)
Shale Ahmed, Human Rights Activist
Imtiaz Ahmed, Professor, Dhaka University
Faustina Pereira, Advocate, Supreme Court
Meghna Guhathakurta, Researcher
Sanjeeb Drong, Human Rights Activist
Shapan Adnan, Associate, Contemporary South Asian Studies, University of Oxford
Ruby Ghuznavi, Human Rights Activist
Dina Siddiqi, Visiting Professor, Anthropology, BRAC University
Professor Amena Mohsin, Dept. of International Relations, Dhaka University
Ainoon Naher, Jahangirnagar University
Professor Piash Karim, BRAC University, Dept. ESS
Zakir Hossain, Chief Executive, Nagorik Uddyog
Shakhawat Hossain, Human Rights Activist
Zafrullah Chowdhury, Health Activist
Ali Ahmed Ziauddin, Freelance Researcher
Nur Khan Liton, Human Rights Activist
Tahmina Rahman, Human Rights Activist
Shahidul Alam, Photographer, Writer, Artist, and Human Rights Activist
Salma Ali, Advocate, Supreme Court
Lubna Marium, Artistic Director, Shadhona
Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmmed, Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies
Ilira Dewan, Writer and Human Rights Activist
Udisa Islam, Journalist
Sushmita Preetha, Journalist and Human Rights Activist
Hana Shams Ahmed, Writer