TERRORIST ATTACK ON RIGHTS LAWYER IN BANGLADESH
Ensure the protection of Human Rights Lawyer Mr. Shahanur Islam as well as ensure exemplary punishment of Md. Jahurul Islm, his son Jobayer Hossain and other culprits.
The Monitoring Committee on Attacks on Lawyers of the International Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL), Paris Bar (Barreau de Paris), France, Pan African Human Rights Defenders Network, Soth Africa, South Asian Network for Refugees IDPs & Migrants (SANRIM), Srilanka , Twin Cities Nonviolent, USA, International CURE, Washington, DC, USA, Rights First International, UK, Free Trade Union Centre of Srilanka, Human Rights Alliance Bangladesh (HRAB), Bangladesh Centre for Human Rights and Development (BCHRD), Manab Unnayan Kendra (MUk), Meherpur, Bangladesh, Human Rights Development Project (HRDP), Kulna, Bangladesh, Plain Welfare Truth Foundation, Naogaon, Bangladesh, Law for Nation, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Nice Foundation, Khulna, Bangladesh, Amader Ain, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR), JusticeMakers Bangladesh , Lawyers for Lawyers Bangladesh and others prominent international and national human rights and development expert and lawyers condemn the terrorist attack on human rights lawyer Mr. Shahanur Islam in Bangladesh and call for exemplary punishment against the culprit after a quick and impartial investigation.
According to reports published in different Bengali newspapers in Bangladesh including the Daily Prothom Alo and other reliable source, on 26th of August 2020 around at 1:25 pm, Mr. Shahanur Islam, a human rights lawyer in Bangladesh was attacked by a group of politically-motivated terrorists at the court premises of Naogaon district in the northern part of Bangladesh.
Mr. Islam was taking part in the hearing against Md. Jahurul Islam, Member of District Parishad (district level highest local government unit), Naogaon alleging forgery of court document (forgery of signature of court issued summons) at the learned Judicial Magistrate Cognizance Court No. 05, Naogaon and the learned court ordered him to jail custody. The police then took him out from the court room.
As soon as Mr. Islam had left from the court room and reached the veranda, suddenly Md. Jahurul Islam attacked Mr. Islam. Some 10 to 12 terrorists, lead by Jobayer Hossain, son of Jahurul Islam, attacked Mr. Islam with the clear intention of killing or abducting him. Jobayer Hossain hit the head of Mr. Islam resulting in a serious injury under his left eye and the frontal side of his head. The others repeatedly beat Mr. Islam all over his body. Some of the lawyers and lawyers clerks in the vicinity arrived at the scene and rescued Mr. Islam from the terrorists.
Observing the matter, the learned Judicial Magistrate Mr. Sohel Rana asked the court police to detain the terrorists. Therefore the court police detained one terrorist, Jobayer Hossain, and sent him to jail custody.
Mr. Islam was then admitted to Naogaon Modern Sadar Hospital in the Emergency Department where he received primary treatment. Later he lodged a criminal complaint (FIR) with Naogaon Sadar Police Station, Case No. 53/20, GR no. 424/20(Naogaon) under 143/323/325/325 of the Penal Code.
Mr. Islam has previously received threats, death threats, physically assaults as well as been repeatedly implicated in false and fabricated cases due to his strong advocacy against social injustice and religious extremism as well as ensuring human rights, the rule of law, good governance and social justice.
The attack on Mr. Shahanur Islam is not an isolated incident in Bangladesh, rather killings, harassment, intimidation and physical attacks against lawyers are common phenomena in Bangladesh.
The Monitoring Committee on Attacks on Lawyers of the International Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL), Paris Bar (Barreau de Paris), France, Pan African Human Rights Defenders Network, Soth Africa, South Asian Network for Refugees IDPs & Migrants (SANRIM), Srilanka , Twin Cities Nonviolent, USA, International CURE, Washington, DC, USA, Rights First International, UK, Free Trade Union Centre of Srilanka, Human Rights Alliance Bangladesh (HRAB), Bangladesh Centre for Human Rights and Development (BCHRD), Manab Unnayan Kendra (MUk), Meherpur, Bangladesh, Human Rights Development Project (HRDP), Kulna, Bangladesh, Plain Welfare Truth Foundation, Naogaon, Bangladesh, Law for Nation, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Nice Foundation, Khulna, Bangladesh, Amader Ain, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR), JusticeMakers Bangladesh , Lawyers for Lawyers Bangladesh and others prominent international and national human rights and development expert and lawyers condemn this terrorist attack on Mr. Islam and call for exemplary punishment of the culprit after a quick and impartial investigation by the committee headed by a justice of the High Court division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.
We call upon the Bangladeshi authorities to ensure the physical, psychological and financial integrity of his family members.
We also urge the Bangladesh Government to immediately suspend Md. Jahurul Islam from membership of district parishad, Naogaon according to district parishad law 2000 under section 10(ka).
Furthermore, we urge the government of Bangladesh to ensure the effective protection of all lawyers from all kinds of violence, harassment, threats and other forms of violence in Bangladesh in the exercise of their professional duties.
For more information: Shahanur Islam saikotbihr@gmail.com
CO-SPONSORS:
1. The Monitoring Committee on Attacks on Lawyers of the International Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL),
2. Paris Bar (Barreau de Paris), France
3. Free Trade Union Centre, Srilanka
4. Pan African Human Rights Defenders Network
5. South Asian Network for Refugees IDPs & Migrants (SANRIM), Srilanka
6. Twin Cities Nonviolent,USA
7. International CURE, Washington, DC, USA
8. Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR)
9. JusticeMakers Bangladesh
10. Lawyers for Lawyers Bangladesh
11. Human Rights Alliance Bangladesh (HRAB)
12. Bangladesh Centre for Human Rights and Development (BCHRD
13. Manab Unnayan Kendra (MUk), Meherpur, Bangladesh
14. Human Rights Development Project (HRDP), Kulna, Bangladesh
15. Plain Welfare Truth Foundation, Naogaon, Bangladesh
16. Law for Nation, Dhaka, Bangladesh
17. Rights First International, UK
18. Rights Jessore, Jessore, Bangladesh
19. Nice Foundation, Khulna, Bangladesh
20. Riaz Osmani, LGBTQIA Activist, Bangladesh
21. Joseph Bikanda, Coordinator, Pan African Human Rights Defenders Network
22. Biplob Karmakar, Right to Information Activist, Bangladesh
23. Ole Reitov. International Human Rights Expert. Denmark
24. Prof. Stuart Russell, Canadian lawyer, Australian administrative judge and law professor (retired)
25. Prof. Gill H. Boehringer, Dean, Macquarie University School of Law, Sydney Australia (retired)
26. Amader Ain, Dhaka, Bangladesh
27. Charles Sullivan, President, International CURE*, Washington, DC USA
28. Mr. Wouter van Ginneken, France
29. Prof. Harry J Bury PhD, Baldwin Wallace University, USA
30. Sverre Pedersen, Campaigns and Advocacy Manager, Freemuse, Denmark
31. Mr. Mohammad Alamgir, Assistant Prosecutor, Metropolitan Sessions Court, Dhaka, Bangladesh
32. Mr. Abul Hossain, Assistant Prosecutor, Metropolitan Sessions Court, Dhaka, Bangladesh
33. Mr. ABM Shahjahan Akandha Masum, Advocate, Supreme court of Bangladesh
34. Mr. AZM Abdus Sabur, Advocate, Judge Court, Dhaka, Bangladesh
35. Mr. Hamidul Islam, Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
36. Mr. Maksudur Rahman Sanchay, Advocate Supreme court of Bangladesh
37. Mr. Ashik Al Imran Hillol, Advocate, Judge Court, Naogaon, Bangladesh
38. Mr. DM Deen Mohammad, Advocate, Advocate, Judge Court, Naogaon, Bangladesh
39. Mr. Biplob Kumar Das, Advocate, Judge Court, Naogaon, Bangladesh
40. Mr. Mominul Islam Swapon, Advocate, Judge Court, Naogaon, Bangladesh
41. Mr. Shariful Islam, Advocate, Judge Court, Naogaon, Bangladesh
42. Mr. Abdul Wazed, Advocate, Judge Court, Naogaon, Bangladesh
43. Mr. Imamul Islam Somrat, Advocate, Judge Court, Naogaon, Bangladesh
44. Mr. Al Mamun, Advocate, Judge Court, Naogaon, Bangladesh
45. Mr. Nazmul Islam, Advocate, Judge Court, Naogaon, Bangladesh
46. Mr. Sharif Mostofa Helal, Development Activist, Bangladesh
47. Mr. Selim Uddin, Human Rights and development worker, Meherpur, Bangladesh
48. Mr. Jamal Uddin Morol, Human Rights Activist, Khulna, Bangladesh
49. Mr. Moyeen Uddin Khan, Social Worker, Paris, France
50. Mr. Al Amin Siddiqui, Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
51. Mr. Mojibur Rahman, Human Rights and Development Worker, Khulna, Bangladesh
52. Mr. Binoy Krisna Mallik, Human Rights Activist, Jessore, Bangladesh
53. Mr. Shah Alam, International Human Rights Expart, UK
54. Mr. Mahbul Hoque, Human Rights and Development Worker, Dhaka, Bangladesh
55. Mr. Mahbub Ahmed Shimanto, Development Worker, Bangladesh
56. Mr. Nasir Uddin, Development Worker, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
57. Mr. Vikram N Walawalkar, Human Rights Activist, India
58. Mr. Srinath Perera, Attorney at Law, Supreme Court of Srilanka
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