VICTIMS of gross human rights violation in the hands of the law enforcement agencies who were denied justice during the Awami League regime are now coming forward to seek legal redress. This is a first step towards police reforms. Limon Hossain, a victim of attempted extrajudicial killing, lodged a complaint with the International Crime Tribunal against the deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her security adviser and eight others on November 12. On March 23, 2011, when Limon was a college student in Jhalakathi, some Rapid Action Battalion personnel shot him in the left leg, taking him for a 鈥榥otorious criminal.鈥� On that day, the force filed two false cases against him for possessing arms and police obstruction. Not only was he accused in false cases, he was also denied treatment that led to the amputation of the leg. Three weeks later, Limon鈥檚 mother filed a case against five battalion personnel for attempted murder and maiming his son. The complaint lodged with the International Crimes Tribunal has, therefore, created an opportunity for redress against the wrong done to Limon Hossain.
Even more tragic is that Limon鈥檚 ordeal did not end with the amputation. At every step in his journey to seek justice, his family faced obstacles; procedural violations were reported. Initially, local police refused to register a complaint against the battalion personnel. The family later secured a court order that directed the police to record the case against the accused. In August 2012, while the victim suffered in prison hospital on false charges, the police submitted a report finding no evidence of battalion involvement in the case, but they submitted a charge sheet against him and he was indicted for the crimes he did not commit. In the face of pressure from local and international rights groups, the government in July 2013 issued an official notification withdrawing the two cases that the force had filed against Limon. The charges against him were dropped, but no directive was given by the government to investigate the procedural violation and systemic failure of the law enforcement agencies in bringing perpetrators to book. Limon鈥檚 experience resonates with many other accounts of the victims of extrajudicial killings.
The case illustrates that custodial torture and extrajudicial killing took an endemic turn under the Awami League regime that should be addressed. The government should, therefore, ensure an investigation of Limon鈥檚 case, bring all perpetrators to justice and provide compensation for the physical harm done to him. It should also take action against all those involved in covering up the crime of attempted extrajudicial killing. The case at hand also raises serious systemic concern that the recently formed police reforms commission should seriously consider, particularly the issue of the abuse of power and corruption in the justice delivery system. For any reform steps to be effective, the interim government should establish legal accountability and justice for all cases of rights violations in the hands of law enforcers.
