HRW seeks justice for labour activist Aminul

New York-based rights group Human Rights Watch has urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to ensure ‘a thorough and swift’ investigation into the disappearance, torture and killing of labour rights activist Aminul Islam.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 18 April 2013, 07:25 AM
Updated : 18 April 2013, 07:25 AM

The 39-year-old Aminul was a trade union organiser with the Bangladesh Centre for Workers Solidarity (BCWS). He disappeared on April 4, 2012 in Gazipur and his body was discovered two days later in Tangail district.

Human Rights Watch says Aminul’s dead body had signs of torture under circumstances that raise concerns of involvement by Bangladeshi security forces.

The influential group in the statement released on Apr 17 in New York said the government did very little regarding the case.
“A year after the brutal killing of labour leader Aminul Islam, the government has done little to ensure a full investigation, much less prosecute those responsible,” the statement quoted Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, as saying.
“The government should stand by its public pledges to ensure accountability in this case, and impartially investigate the possible involvement of security forces in Islam’s killing,” Robertson added.
The statement also urged the Prime Minister to publicly report on the progress made into case.
It said the government should also press prosecutorial authorities to review the charges lodged in 2010 against Babul Akhter and Kalpona Akhter of BCWS, and ensure they are protected against harassment and abuse by officials.
Islam was involved in many protests for better wages for garment workers in Bangladesh.
In 2010, the wage protests resulted in hundreds of arrests of workers and trade unionists, including Islam.
In June 2010 Islam had been detained by officials of the National Intelligence Service (NSI). Islam had that time complained that he was subjected to severe and repeated beatings, which his captors said would stop only if he agreed to give testimony against his colleagues at BCWS.
The killing of Islam became a crucial issue as the United States is the major importer of readymade garment products from Bangladesh.
Bangladesh earns nearly $20 billion a year from exports of readymade garments, mostly to the US.
Many US officials have raised the issue of justice for Islam and his family during their visits to Dhaka over the last one year.
Authorities have said they are investigating the case.