1.94 lakh sued in 268 cases since the fall of AL govt: MSF

Since the fall of the Awami League (AL) government on August 5, at least 268 cases have been filed against 1.94 lakh people, mostly targeting AL leaders and activists including party president Sheikh Hasina.
Of them, 26,268 people were named and around 1.68 lakh others were unnamed, said the rights body Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF) in a report today.
Around 100 of the cases were filed against former prime minister Hasina, mostly over the killings of protesters, said MSF, which is led by Advocate Sultana Kamal.
The rights body came up with the finding by analysing media reports and collecting inputs from local human rights defenders.
The MSF said at least 809 persons were killed and over 33,000 others injured between July and August due to the violent clashes and indiscriminate firing by members of law enforcement agencies.
As people from all walks of life joined the student protests and spread across the country, unprecedented aggression and unimaginable use of force by law enforcement agencies were observed to suppress the protest movement. As a result of this repressive action of the state, violence became widespread, it added.
As the protest eventually turned into a one-point demand, which was the resignation of Hasina, the law enforcers, as well as the activists of the AL and its front organisations, carried out barbaric attacks on students to suppress the movement.
As the number of casualties continued to increase, government vehicles and property were vandalised and set on fire, to divert attention from the deaths, the rights body said, adding that the victims were accused for such arson and attacks.
The MSF said after the arrest of an accused, it is the responsibility of the members of the law enforcement agencies to protect him, but they are failing to do their responsibility.
Mentioning the attacks on Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik former law minister Anisul Huq and some other accused in the courts, the MSF said such behaviour is undesirable in the courtroom, especially when the work of state reform is going on after the mass uprising of the students and people.
In August, at least 204 people were victims of 23 incidents of political violence. Nine of them were killed and 195 were injured. Of the 23 incidents of violence, 12 were due to infighting between BNP, 9 between BNP-Awami League, one AL infighting and one between Jamaat and BNP. Among the dead, five were BNP activists and three were AL activists.
The rights body said at least eight cases including three with murder charges were filed against journalists after August 5.
Of the accused, former head of news of Ekattor Television Shakil Ahmed and its principal correspondent Farzana Rupa have been arrested so far.
Mozammel Haque Babu, managing director and editor-in-chief of Ekattor TV; Syed Ishtiaque Reza, former chief news editor (CNE) of Ekattor TV; Ahmed Jobaer, a director of Somoy TV; Munni Saha, former CNE of ATN News, and Nayeemul Islam Khan, the former PM’s press secretary are among the others accused.
MSF said the way journalists are being prevented from performing their professional duties is not only undesirable but also an attack on transparency, democracy, freedom of speech, and media freedom, as well as suppressing the voice of objective and honest journalism.
It is the responsibility and duty of the government to ensure proper security of journalists in order to protect and ensure the freedom of journalism and expression, it added.