This August 10 photo shows police producing Odhikar Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan before a Dhaka court after he was arrested at his Gulshan residence in the capital.
Canadian High Commissioner in Dhaka Heather Cruden Thursday voiced deep concern over the arrest of Adilur Rahman Khan, secretary of rights body Odhikar, and demanded his immediate release.
“I’m deeply concerned by the arrest of Adilur Rahman Khan. Canada joins like-minded missions in Bangladesh to urge the government of Bangladesh to release Khan from detention and ensure that he receives fair treatment throughout a transparent judicial process,” Cruden said in a statement.
Government actions such as Khan’s arrest can have a chilling effect on the right of all civil society organisations to operate freely in the country, she said.
“This is particularly significant in the lead-up to the country’s next general election,” she added.
Earlier, on Wednesday, US Ambassador to Dhaka Dan W Mozena and representatives of foreign missions here including the European Union (EU) and Canada visited the Odhikar office, and talked to its officials over the evolving issues after the arrest of its secretary.
On Tuesday, the US government voiced deep concern over the arrest of Khan and urged the Bangladesh authorities to release him immediately.
Meanwhile, the European Union delegation in Dhaka issued a statement in agreement with the EU heads of missions in Bangladesh urging the authorities to observe due process at all stages of the proceedings against the Odhikar secretary and in particular ensure full respect for his rights.
British high commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Gibson also expressed concern at the arrest of the Odhikar secretary, according to his Sunday’s tweeter post.
The United Nations has also voiced concern over the arrest of Khan and urged the government to release him immediately.
Source: The Daily Star
