Trying time for Rapid Action Battalion

On April 30, Nisha Desai Biswal, US Assistant Secretary of State testified before a House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Sub-committee on the Asia and the Pacific about situation in Bangladesh. She said: “Washington was disappointed by the parliamentary elections on January 5 which were followed by harassment of opposition, independent media and civil society. In addition to this harassment, we are concerned about reports on continuing extrajudicial killings as well as disappearances and abductions.”

The same day, news came on television in Bangladesh of the shocking discovery of dead bodies of abducted Narayanganj city councillor Nazrul Islam and five others floating in the Shitalakkhya river, three days after seven people, including Nazrul, were kidnapped in broad daylight in Narayanganj.
The six victims were killed and their bodies were dumped into the river in similar manner. The murderers cut the victims’ bellies and then tied the bodies to sacks full of bricks before throwing them into the river.They were blindfolded, and their hands and legs were tied with ropes. Among the dead were also Chandan Sarkar, senior lawyer at Narayanganj District Judge’s Court, and his driver.

Rab be disbanded: HRW NY
A day earlier on April 29, Human Rights Watch of New York had come out with a report on its website focusing on ‘Crossfire’ killings in Bangladesh, which read as follows: “After the elections, the security forces unlawfully arrested opposition leaders, naming them as suspects in violent attacks. Researchers documented the killing or unlawful arrests of 19 opposition leaders and activists. In nine of the killings, authorities claimed that the victims were killed in ‘crossfire’ during gunfights between the security forces and armed criminals. In all nine cases, there is strong reason to question the official account. In several of the alleged crossfire cases, witnesses said the killed person had been detained hours or days earlier, contradicting government claims.
“Security forces have little credibility when they simply claim that suspects die in crossfire, as they have regularly invoked the ‘killed in crossfire’ explanation to justify what the evidence later showed to be cold-blooded executions of detainees or suspects.
“For instance, local police authorities claim that security forces killed 15-year-old Abu Hanif, also known as Chhoton, when he and other members of the Jamaat youth wing attacked them in the Satkhira district on January 18, 2014. Several witnesses interviewed separately, however, said that security forces had detained Chhoton the previous day, accusing him of participating in protests and setting fire to several motorcycles in his village.
“Law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh have a dismal human rights record. In particular, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has committed systematic human rights violations with impunity since its founding in 2004, which contributes directly to the culture of ongoing abuses. RAB should be disbanded and replaced with a fully accountable civilian law enforcement agency dedicated to fighting crime and terrorism.”

RAB’s involvement claimed
The seven people abducted in Narayanganj on April 27 were all picked up in broad daylight, the city councillor and his four companions by one Microbus, and in a separate incident from another spot the lawyer and his driver in their own transport by kidnappers who claimed to be RAB personnel. The city councillor belonged to the ruling party and none of the victims belonged to the opposition. There was spontaneous protest by crowds blocking roads and highways.
Inner party feud had led to another abduction, torture and killing of a young student and activist of one faction of the ruling party more than a year back. Police investigation therefore was directed, after about a week from the report that suspect. It led to the discovery of a blood-tainted microbus from the suspect’s garage, but the suspect was not found.
The opposition cried foul, and said the investigation was an “eye-wash” after letting the main suspect escape by ruling party connivance. Supporters of the dead councillor and shocked city people continued to come out on the streets and block Dhaka-Chittagong highway. Police dispersed them. The city then observed a dawn to dusk absolute hartal without blocking the Dhaka-Chittagong inter district traffic.
Then came the bomb-shell of a confirmation in a press interview by a highly-placed police official that the accusation of direct RAB involvement in the killing by the father-in-law of the murdered councillor has been found authentic by police investigation and the IGP has been fully briefed about the findings. Certain developments quickly followed. The Investigation Officer (IO) in the case over the abduction and murder of seven in Narayangnj was changed, after relatives of the slain city councillor alleged the IO was in good terms with fugitive prime suspect, and local Awami League leader.

Full investigation demanded
Three RAB officials, Commanding Officer of Rab-11 Lt Col Tareque Sayeed Mohammad, Maj Arif Hossain and Lt Commander SM Masud Rana, were dismissed from their respective services for their alleged involvement in the abduction and killing. Lt Col Tareque is the son-in-law of an influential minister. Pending investigation, all three are confined in the log area of the Army Cantonment in Dhaka. Mainstream opposition said that the dismissal of three RAB officials from service proved that the elite force members and the administration were involved in abduction and killing, and further alleged that Sheikh Hasina-led government was using RAB, police and even BGB members for killings, abductions and forced disappearances of opposition men to stay in power illegally.
Leaders of opinion suggested that RAB had to be thoroughly investigated and reformed, and questioned why the government machinery gave RAB full-throated support after every ‘crossfire’ incident.
Opposition BNP Secretary General (Acting) simply raised the question whether there was any need for RAB operations any more, lending his indirect support to “demands within the country and outside” for disbanding RAB. The high command of RAB has promised stern action against any RAB personnel found guilty of criminal misconduct, but a RAB press release sought to refute the story of RAB’s involvement in the “murder” of Narayanganj seven, or in any torture chamber, regretting media hype. It is trying time indeed for the Rapid Action Battalion.

Source: Weekly Holiday