24 Sraban 1425/8 August 2018

Over the past week or so schoolchildren and university students in Bangladesh have
been demanding road safety, rule of law and justice. It has been reported that in the
presence of the police, members of the student and youth wings of the ruling Awami
League, the Bangladesh Chattra League and Jubo League, have been attacking
unarmed young protesters, as well as journalists and photographers. It is also reported
that several hundred protesters are being arbitrarily detained and subjected to police
remand, including a pregnant woman. Freedoms of expression association and
assembly are being unlawfully and arbitrarily suppressed.

In the late evening of Sunday 5 August 2018, internationally and nationally renowned
photographer, academic and human rights activist, Shahidul Alam, was unlawfully
abducted from his home, allegedly by law enforcement personnel, and without
an arrest warrant. Yesterday, he was produced before the Dhaka Additional Chief
Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court, where the Detective Branch of Police submitted a
prayer for ten days’ remand. The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Asaduzzaman Noor,
has granted seven days’ remand in a case filed against him under Section 57 of the
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act 2006 (amended in 2009 & 2013).
As he was being carried into the court room, he is reported to have said to journalists
present, "I was hit. They washed my blood-stained clothes and then made me wear
them again". He is also reported to have said: ‘I was not given access to any lawyer
during detention’ His alleged crime was taking photographs of the brutal attacks on
peacefully protesting students and exercising his freedom of opinion in an interview to
an international television channel.

It has been further reported widely in the media that numerous innocent students are
being subjected to torture in police custody and remand as well as various forms of
harassment and intimidation whereas those allegedly responsible for imposing violence
upon a non-political and peaceful movement of the young students are enjoying
impunity.

We the undersigned strongly condemn such repression by the government, including

arbitrary police remand under the repressive ICT Act against him. We demand that the
Government investigate allegations of unlawful arrest and torture and immediately and
unconditionally facilitate Shahidul Alam’s release and punish those responsible for his
alleged abduction and torture. If anything he has done is considered against the law
charges could be brought in the due process, but nothing justifies unlawful abduction,
arbitrary remand and especially unconstitutional torture in custody. We also demand
that the government stop repression of students, academics, journalists and human
rights activists immediately, release all who have been arbitrarily detained and take
every step to ensure road safety, freedom of speech, freedom of movement and
freedom of association for all, without discrimination.

1. Dr Hameeda Hossain Email: Human Rights Defender

2. Bashirul Haq Architect

3. Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury Email: Physician and Health Rights Activist

4. Shaheen Anam Email: Human Rights Defender

5. Barrister Raja Devashish Roy, Lawyer,

6. Dr Iftekhar Zaman Executive Director, Transparency International Bangladesh

7. Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar Secretary, SHUJON

8. M Hafizuddin Khan Chairperson, SHUJON

9. Mahfuz Ullah Media Professional, writer, researcher & environmentalist

10. Barrister Manzoor Hasan OBE Executive Director, Centre for Peace and Justice,
BRAC University

11. Dr Chowdhury Abrar Professor, Department of International Relations, University of

Dhaka

12. Lubna Marium Artistic Director, Shadhona

13. Professor Dr Naila Z. Khan, Paediatrician

14. Robaet Ferdous, Academic, University of Dhaka

15. Dr. Shahnaz Huda Professor of Law, University of Dhaka

16. Dr. Ali Riaz, Professor of Political Science, Illinois State University, USA

17. Dr. Amena Mohsin Professor, Department of International Relations, University of

Dhaka

18. Dr Anu Muhammad Professor, Department of Economics, Jahangirnagar University,

19. Khushi Kabir Coordinator, Nijera Kori

20. Professor Dr Perween Hasan, Vice-Chancellor, Central Women’s University

21. Dr Firdous Azim, Professor, Department of English, BRAC University

22. Farida Akhter, Executive Director, UBINIG (Policy Research for Development
Alternative)

23. Dr Elora Halim Chowdhury, Professor & Chair, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality
Studies Department, University of Massachusetts, USA

24. Sheepa Hafiza, Human Rights Defender, Ain O Shalish Kendra

25. Md. Nur Khan, Human Rights Activist

26. Adilur Rahman Khan, Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh,

27. Dr Asif Nazrul, Professor, Department of Law, University of Dhaka

28. Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh

29. Dr. Sumaiya Khair, Professor, Department of Law, University of Dhaka

30. Rina Roy, Rights Activist

31. Dr. Shapan Adnan, Economist

32. Dr Azfar Hussain, Associate Professor, Liberal Studies/Interdisciplinary Studies,

Grand Valley State University, Michigan, USA

33. ASM Nasiruddin Elan, Human Rights Defender

34. Arup Rahee, Singer, Lyricist and Cultural Activist

35. Hana Shams Ahmed, Email: PhD Student, York University, Canada

36. Leesa Gazi, Cultural Activist and Theatre Practitioner

37. Ashraf Kaiser, Journalist

38. Anusheh Anadil, Musician and Cultural Activist

39. Delwar Hussain, Researcher, UK

40. Ilira Dewan Indigenous People’s Rights Activist

41. Maheen Sultan, Women’s Rights Activist

42. Dina Siddiqi, Academic

43. Tarek Omar Chowdhury, Writer

44. Mirza Taslima Sultana, Academic

45. Zakir Hossain, Coordinator, Nagorik Uddyog

46. Ziaur Rahman, Lawyer

47. Nasrin Siraj Annie, PhD Student and Filmmaker

48. Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies

49. Dr Tasnim Azim, Immunologist and Health Rights Activist

50. Dr M Muzaherul Huq, Professor of Forensic Medicine

51. Dr Seuty Sabur, Academic, BRAC University

52. Wasfia Nazreen, Mountaineer

53. Lamiya Morshed, Social Activist

54. Dina Hossain, Filmmaker

55. Cynthia Farid, Advocate, Supreme Court

56. Tasaffy Hossain, Rights Activist

57. MasudKhan, Lawyer, The Legal Circle

58. Muktasree Chakma, Women’s Rights Activist

59. Tasmiah Afrin Mou, Filmmaker

60. Dr Elora Shehabuddin, Associate Professor of Humanities and Political Science,

Rice University, Texas, USA

61. Rashad Al, Resident Senior Fellow Institute for Strategic Dialogue, UK

62. Enamul Hoque, Photographer / Filmmaker / Artist, UK

63. Shahadat Hossain, Filmmaker

64. Khandaker Sumon, Filmmaker

65. Sohini Alam, Musician

66. Manjida Ahamed, PhD Student, Middlesex University, London

67. Ali Ahmed Ziauddin, Freedom Fighter and Writer

68. Rezaur Rahman Lenin, Human Rights Defender

69. Shireen P Huq, Women’s Rights Activist

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