Daily Star, Front Page
Volume 3 Number 1143 Sat. November 23, 2002
Staff Correspondent
The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution on "serious human rights violation" in Bangladesh.
It strongly criticised the Operation Clean Heart by Bangladesh armed forces
and expressed serious concern over 25 deaths in the first 25 days of the anticrime
drive.
The resolution was jointly raised by the human rights rapporteur of the parliament,
Johan Van Hecke elected from Belgium, and the parliament member, Van Den Bos
elected from the Netherlands.
It also said the army arrested people without any judicial mandate and some members of the Bangladesh parliament and opposition political leaders and followers.
The army even "occupied" the opposition Awami League's research centre CRI (Centre for Research and Information), added the resolution.
The resolution was supported by all groups of the parliament and passed unanimously, according to a message faxed to The Daily Star last night.
The parliament expressed serious concern at arbitrary arrests, detention, torture, killing and slide in the human-rights situation in Bangladesh following the anticrime operation.
It fears that the crackdown on crime is being "used for politically partisan purposes".
The resolution expressed concern at what it called the growing Islamic radicalisation since the BNP-led four-party alliance came to power.
No member of the Jamaat-e-Islami, an affiliate of the coalition government, has been arrested although it is believed to possess a considerable number of arms, the resolution said.
Immediately after the last election in October 2001, Bangladesh witnessed an outburst of violence against voters and workers of the losing Awami League in general and Hindus in particular, it continued.
The parliament reminded that the EU-Bangladesh cooperation agreement is "based on respect for human rights and democratic principles", and violation of Article 1 is a breach that can lead to suspension of the agreement.
The parliament called upon the government to institute an independent body to carry out a prompt and fair investigation into the killings and acts of torture.
Bangladesh has been asked to ensure that the findings are made public and those responsible are brought to justice.
The parliament called for release of the members of parliament and political leaders and an end to arbitrary mass-arrest, detention and killings in military custody.
The Bangladesh government, while acknowledging custodial deaths, claimed that
all deaths were a result of 'heart attack', whereas families of the victims
insisted that the detainees died from torture.
The resolution strongly urged Bangladesh to form a national human-rights commission
without further delay.
The parliament asked the EU commission to engage with the government of Bangladesh under the EU-Bangladesh cooperation agreement to ensure that human rights are protected and the EU parliament is kept informed.