By Khaled Diab

The European Union has taken up the case of a leading Bangladeshi civil society figure who has been held without charge for several weeks and whom, human rights groups fear, may be the victim of torture.

September 2004

The Dutch Presidency is consulting with the Bangladesh government in an attempt to ensure the welfare of anti-landmine campaigner Rafique Al Islam, the European Voice has learned.

Al Islam (44) is the Bangladeshi representative of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), which won the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize. He was first arrested on 21 August by a joint army and police squad known as the Rapid Action Battalion. During two subsequent court hearings, no charges were brought against the veteran campaigner.

“On behalf of the EU, the Dutch ambassador to Bangladesh met, last Wednesday [8 September], two officials at the Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss the case of Mr Al Islam,” said Judith Maas, a spokeswoman for the Dutch Presidency. “We have expressed our concerns to the Bangladeshi side and called for a fair trial and good treatment for him.”

Although Al Islam’s exact whereabouts had hitherto been unknown, two days later, his family received a telephone call informing them that they could, for the first time, visit him. “This is a welcome relief for his family who have been under enormous stress due to the uncertainty of his treatment,” noted Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan of Nonviolence International, an NGO Al Islam also represents in Bangladesh.

“Although we are all happy to hear of his whereabouts and well-being… the reality remains that he is under illegal custody and cannot return home of his own will,” Moser-Puangsuwan added. The ICBL – backed by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International – have been campaigning since Al Islam’s arrest for his release or fair trial.

“The ICBL believes his situation is grave and urges EU leaders, MEPs and the Dutch presidency to take whatever urgent action is in their power to secure his safe release or fair trial,” said Stan Brabant of the ICBL.

A growing number of MEPs are responding to the ICBL’s call. One of the earliest was Raül Romeva, himself a veteran anti-landmine campaigner. The Spanish green has rallied a group of fellow parliamentarians to co-sign a letter to the Bangladesh government.

“I do hope that this public condemnation will persuade the government of Bangladesh to release Rafique immediately,” Romeva told the European Voice. “EU members states have been leading the international fight against landmines and they have a clear moral authority to raise their voice against this outrage.”

The Spanish MEP expressed his surprise that such a respected figure – both within his country and outside it – was arrested in such a fashion and suspects that Bangladesh could be doing itself serious diplomatic damage.

“Bangladesh is squandering its good image and destroying its leadership on the issue of implementing the Landmine Treaty,” he explained. Bangladesh was the first country in South Asia to sign the 1997 UN-backed Landmine Mine Treaty. The landmark agreement has been signed by some 150 countries and ratified by 143.

The Dutch Presidency is “considering further steps”, said Maas, to help resolve the situation. For his part, Romeva calls on the EU and its member states: “To keep pressing through all the diplomatic channels.”

For further information on the case, you can consult the following websites:

www.icbl.org

www.amnesty.org

www.hrw.org

Since this article was published, Al Islam has been released on bail.

ã2004 K. Diab. Unless otherwise stated, all the content on this website is the copyright of Khaled Diab.