(A HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION FOR JUSTICE, REHABILITATION & DEVELOPMENT) ===========================================================================================

JusticeMakers Bangladesh Works to Resolve Case of Unlawful Arrest

On October 6, 2010, Mr. Mokhlesur Rahman Badal was arrested by the Drug Control Directorate police of the Ramna zone in the Dhaka metropolitan area. He was detained on the charge of being an accomplice to a drug smuggler who resided in the same building. On October 12, 2010, Adv. Shahanur Islam, founding secretary General of JusticeMakers Bangladesh took up Mr. Badals defence and conducted interviews with the accused and his family. Additionally, Shahanur visited the relevant authorities to inquire about the reasons for arresting Mr. Badal and the polices interrogation techniques. However, the police did not supply him with the requested information.

According to the familys statement, Mr. Badal was seized in his home where he lives with his wife and two children, in a building in which he is also employed as the caretaker. At noon on October 6, police entered his workplace and arrested him. According to the familys statement, after violently assaulting Mr.Badal, the police searched his house without a search warrant, allegedly looking for drugs. None were recovered, however they found BDT 11,000.00 (USD$156), which they confiscated. According to Mr. Badal, upon being brought to the Rama Zone office of Drug Control Directorate in Dhaka, the police used brutal interrogation techniques in attempt to coerce a confession. Throughout the incident, the police never provided evidence for their accusations, simply citing Mr. Badals physical proximity to a drug dealer living in the same building as their reasoning for his probable guilt. Shahanur has applied for bail on Mr. Badals behalf, and finally Badal got release from the jail by bail on December 13, 2010.

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