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)
