As Bangladesh teeters on the brink of what could be called a 'civic war', the military-backed interim government is trying hard to prove that it is still in charge. For a while, it looked as though the regime might actually do what it claimed it would do – caretake – but none of us is so sure anymore. Citizens will be forgiven for wondering if the changes are really about cleaning up the system, or about the caretaker government preparing the ground for the military. Our cover image, by Munem Wasif, symbolises the prevalent mood: the country's 'non-elite' is weary of the malaise that marks the putrid political system, but is also quite wary of technocrats backed by khaki. We bring together a medley of voices about the what, how and why of current happenings in Bangladesh.
<http://himalmag.com/2007/june/images/blurb_hsa.jpg>
Since distribution of this issue is not possible in Bangladesh, we urge visitors to this website to send this link to as many readers in Bangladesh as possible.
<http://himalmag.com/2007/june/cover_feature_bangladesh.htm> 130 days of emergency
During the first 130 days of emergency in Bangladesh, from 12 January to 21 May 2007, a total of 96 persons were reportedly killed during operations by law-enforcement personnel. In addition, 193,329 were reported arrested, inclusive of general arrests for violations of law. Of the 96 reported killed, 54 were killed by the paramilitary Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), 25 by the police, seven by the joint forces, six by the army, and three by the navy. One person was reported killed by officers of the Department of Narcotics Control.
Of those killed by the RAB, 51 died in 'crossfire', one was tortured to death, and two others were arrested by the RAB and later died in the hospital. Of those reportedly killed by the police, 12 died in 'crossfire', six were tortured to death, four shot dead, one died in police custody, and two more died in the hospital after their arrest. Of those reportedly killed by the Bangladesh Army, four died due to torture, one while attempting to escape, and one more died in the hospital after being arrested. Of the seven deaths attributed to the joint forces, three were tortured to death, one was killed in 'crossfire', one died in the hospital after arrest, and two died in custody, including one who committed suicide.
Of these 96 deaths, it has been reported that eight were from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, four from the Awami League, six from the Purbo Banglar Communist Party (Jonojuddho), four from the Purbo Banglar Communist Party, four from the Purbo Banglar Communist Party (Red Flag), two from the Biplobi Communist Party, one from the New Biplobi Communist Party, two from the Gono Mukti Fouz, one from the Jatiyo Shomajtantrik Dol, three from the Sromojibi Mukti Andolon and four from the Shorbohara Party.
In addition, one of those killed was reported to be a freedom fighter, one an indigenous leader, and one an 'extremist'. Three were also suspected arms smugglers, two were alleged arms dealers, two alleged muggers, one an alleged gambler, two alleged drug peddlers, 10 alleged dacoits and 18 alleged criminals. Other victims included three farmers, one businessman, one police informant, one bus driver, one female garments worker and one housewife.
The Dhaka-based human-rights organisation Odhikar prepared this reportt on the basis of 11 national dailies and its own fact-finding reports. In the course of doing so, on 3 May 2007, Odhikar's acting director, A S M Nasiruddin Elan, was taken to the naval headquarters, where Captain Zubayer, the director of naval intelligence, along with three associates, allegedly harassed him for preparing those reports, ultimately threatening him with death.
<http://www.odhikar.org/> -- Yoshie
