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No respite in police harassment

A human rights body reports maltreatment, bribery at city police stations

SYED TASHFIN CHOWDHURY
People seeking help from the police often face harassment, maltreatment and even physical abuse, reports a human rights organisation.
The police every day arrest a large number of people on suspicion and demand money for their release, says Odhikar, a nongovernment organisation that monitors activities at the city's police stations.
When relatives of the detainees come to the police stations to meet them, the police officers demand bribe for granting the permission. Besides, they claim money for the food served to them at the custody.
If the family members or relatives do not pay the amount charged by the police, the detainees are physically abused, Odhikar says.
"Officers receiving complaints ask for money depending on the appearance of the complainant," said Golam Kabir Khan, factfinding officer, Odhikar.
The victims and their relatives have similar complaints against the police.
Odhikar initiated a programme in 2003 to monitor activities of a number of police stations including arrests without charge, behaviour of police towards detainees and common people, and the overall condition at the stations.
From its findings during January-March 2005, the organisation found over 660 arrests made on specific cases, 508 under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Act
and eight under Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Due to the massive rate of arrests, the custody rooms in most police stations are overcrowded with inadequate lighting and water supply.
According to the Police Code, every detainee has the right to at least 6 square feet of space. "But the police never follow this code," said a researcher of Odhikar. "They are violating their own rules," he added.
The relatives and friends of detainees alleged that the police officers demand money from most arrestees taken under remand. Brokers hang around the police stations to mediate between the police and the victims.
"In exchange for money they promise less torture and abuse by the police officers during interrogation," said an ex-detainee, on condition of anonymity.
The people who are arrested on suspicion face more harassment.
"I was picked up from Lalmatia on my way to home as police suspected that I was involved in a robbery that occurred the previous day in the area," said Rafiqul Alam (not his real name), a private university student of Monipuripara.
Alam was taken to Tejgaon Police Station and was kept in a room with 15 to 17 other suspects and criminals. A sub-inspector of the station demanded Tk 25,000 for Alam's release.
"I am from a middle class family. As we could not arrange the money, later we took help of a lawyer to arrange my bail," said
Alam. This enraged the subinspector who threatened to arrest him again.
"These sorts of incidents are reported frequently as most people are scared to do anything against the police who misuse the laws," said Kabir Khan.
He pointed out that some dishonest police officers deliberately target teenagers from middle class families in order to make some quick money.
The complainants are also treated harshly at most police stations.
"To file a general diary (GD), most complainants have to wait for over two to three hours at a police station. Moreover, the police officers receive Tk 50 to Tk 100 for registering a GD which is illegal," said a researcher of Odhikar.
"Usually the GD writer charges this amount as a processing fee," she said.
A police officer on condition on anonymity said, "Some lower level officers take money for filing complaints as they need some source of extra income," he said. According to him, most officers succumb to corruption due to low salaries.
SM Mizanur Rahman, commissioner, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, urged all victims of such harassment to report these incidents as soon as they occur.
"A conscious citizen should inform the higher authorities of police about these matters so that we can punish the dishonest policemen," he said.