Author: Ershadul Haq
Publication: The Times of India
Date: February 18, 2002
Tales of torture haunted a crime
convention here, as the audience fell silent with horror on hearing
sagas of rape and pillage allegedly by activists of the ruling Bangladesh
Nationalist Party-led government. The convention on "Crimes Against
Humanity" has been organised by the BNP's political rival, the Awami
League, and focuses on post-election atrocities on nearly 20 million
Hindu-dominated minorities in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.
The dais at the auditorium resembled
a hospital emergency room with some 50 wounded people lying on stretchers
or sitting on chairs holding crutches.
With their hands or legs broken,
eyes gouged out and signs of brutality all over the body, the victims
cried out for justice. They blamed "terrorists" of the ruling BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami
alliance for attacks on them in a spate of violence before and after
the parliamentary elections last October.
The citizens' group, which organised
the two-day event drawing participants from home and abroad, brought
dozens of victims, including women and children, from across Bangladesh
to Dhaka to the convention on stretchers.
Awami League chief and former prime
minsiter Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the convention that was attended
by leadign human rights activists, diplomats, politicians and professionals.
Of the 50 victims on stage, some
shared their traumatic experience. "I was tortured for voting for
the boat (the Awami League election symbol). They also tortured by
daughter whom I had to send to India," said Shefali Rani, who came
from southern Bhola, the worst hit area. "I want justice."
Ms Shefali said she asked the terrorists
to have mercy on her and her young daughter. "All I want now is justice."
The story of Chanda of southern
Narail of greater Faridpur is no different. "Terrorists stormed our
house and splashed acid on me and my elder sister. My crime was that
I was an election agent of the Awami League."
Bangladeshi Hindus are traditionally
seen as a vote bank for the Awami League.
Kamaruzzaman, a member of the Awami
League's youth front, said: "BNP cadres kidnapped me from my grocery
store and started beating me up. When I asked for a drink, they gave
me hot water. Then they chopped all fingers of my hands off."
Foreign dignitaries and guests at
the convention appeared shell- shocked. "The government is completely denying
what is happening here," said William Sloan, a North American human
rights activist and jurist. He urged international rights groups
to see and understand what is happening in Bangladesh.
Ms Hasina in her speech said: "Humanity
is being razed to the ground and human rights trampled across the
country... It cannot even be imagined where and when this black episode
will end."
She appealed to the international
community to help prevent "political and religious persecution" in
Bangladesh. "Let humanity raise their voice for the tortued people
of my country, for the sake of humanity, and for the preservation
and protection of human rights, peace and security."
To counter the Awami League convention,
the BNP-led coalition will organise a two-day national convention
beginning March 15, on repressive and criminal activities by the
Hasina-led former government.
(IANS)
