We demand justice for Afzal Hossain, Shibir leader from Rajshahi

After illegally arresting Rajshahi University Shibir leader Afzal Hossain, police have tortured him using hammers, iron rods and sticks, breaking his arms and legs in the process. Officials of Shibir revealed such shocking allegations against the police at a press briefing on the 26th of May, 2014. They strongly protested the incident perpetrated by the security forces.

The briefing said that police had arrested two Shibir activists, Afzal Hossain and Shahiduzzaman without any reason whatsoever on Saturday, the 24th of May, 2014. Afzal Hossain, sports secretary of Shibir at Rajshahi University was going on his motorcycle at Talaimari area beside the university at 9:30 pm when he was apprehended by security forces. However, police initially denied their arrest. In the meantime, Motihar thana police tortured Afzal using hammers, iron rods and sticks, breaking his arms and legs in the process. Despite the barbaric nature of the above, the police further claimed back then that he had been arrested from a ‘gunfight’ , and had taken Afzal at the dead of the night to a quiet area and shot his leg to prove their claim of a ‘cop catches terrorist during gunfight’ story.

Picture: Afzal Hossain beside the grave of Sharizzaman Nomani, killed by BCL goons at Rajshahi

Despite the vehement falsification, the news version produced by police has been circulating in the some news media for quite some time. There is a great need to examine and condemn the barbaric nature of the police which they have displayed in arresting opposition activists, especially Shibir activists. It will be wise to remember that just a few days ago, Jessore City Shibir president Jahidul Islam Mondol was similarly unwarrantedly detained by police and later shot in the leg in the dead of the night of 13th May 2014, the very day after his father Abul Khayer travelled to Jessore Press Club and pleaded with the police to not make his son a victim of 'crossfire'. Today, he has been rendered crippled. He was among six Shibir activists shot by police with firearms within 22 days in Jessore. The question remains, what was his fault?

Picture: Jahidul Islam Mondol, Jessore City Shibir President

What is the fault of Afzal Hossain? That he was an activist of Shibir? That he protested the injustices in the society by raising his voice? Who will take blame for such incidents of imaginary gunfights and fairytales of crossfire being regularly spun by the security forces with the full blessings of the government of Sheikh Hasina Wajed, self proclaimed daughter of peace, against her rivals and opposition activists?

Its time for the world to speak up. International rights groups like the Human Rights Watch have demanded an end to the injustice in the name of justice. Raise your voice. Condemn this barbarity.