*Special Correspondent *
Rapid Action Battalion [RAB], the most notorious Para military forces in
Bangladesh, which is known for its atrocities through extra judicial
killing, abduction, rape and collecting ransom, has finally shown its nasty
fang with Weekly Blitz editor, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury.
Internationally known award winning journalist Mr. Choudhury was virtually
kidnapped by a heavily armed gang of RAB led by Captain Shafiq on Tuesday
evening.
When RAB stormed the Weekly Blitz office, they locked the editor including
other employees of the newspaper and its sister concerns inside a room,
seizing all cell phones and not allowing any communication, friends or legal
counsel.
Almost after an hour and a half, members of the armed men took Salah Uddin
Shoaib Choudhury and another senior member of the newspaper, Mahboob Ar
Rahman with them while they looted cash and other valuables from the
newspaper office. On arriving at the ground floor of the building, where
Weekly Blitz office is located, RAB men blindfolded Mr. Choudhury. Before
leaving Weekly Blitz office with the editor and other journalist, RAB's
officer reportedly known to be Major Swapan, who is the Deputy Director of
RAB-3 passed extremely offensive remarks on journalists and newspapers.
Captain Shafiq also abused and humiliated Weekly Blitz editor and other
members of the newspaper.
Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury and Mahboob Ar Rahman were taken to RAB-3
office and were detained there for hours. RAB men verbally abused Choudhury
during these hours, repeatedly calling him a "Zionist spy and agent of the
Jews". They used expletives to refer to journalists against whom RAB has a
record of harassing, and the United States
Congress<http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/2282>,
which passed a resolution in Shoaib's support. The verbal assault, which
included numerous threats, continued for another three hours until someone
RAB described as a "high government official" telephoned and ordered them to
release him."
It is also learnt from the Weekly Blitz editor that RAB men demanded heavy
ransom from him while Captain Shafiq told him [the editor] that he [Shafiq]
is a notorious man, who has killed 29 people in the name of 'encounter', a
regular practice of RAB for killing people. Shafiq and 'Swapan' asked Mr.
Choudhury to work as 'source' for RAB. When Weekly Blitz editor said, it is
not his job to work as any source or spy for any organization, RAB men
threatened that, they would do the same thing with him in future.
The matter was immediately notified with the Director General of Rapid
Action Battalion and other senior officials of the government. But, there is
no action yet taken against the RAB team till filling this report.
Meanwhile, Weekly Blitz editor Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury has sent letters
to the Chief Advisor, Army Chief and other officials in Bangladesh seeking
immediate investigation and necessary actions against the culprits of RAB-3
for such notoriety.
On condition of anonymity, a highly placed source within Rapid Action
Battalion told Weekly Blitz that, many officials of the RAB-3 unit are
greatly involved in series of criminal activities, including collecting
ransom. They maintain close links with some criminal gangs as well in either
making money or trapping innocent people and finally end up in extracting
money. It is further learnt that, inside RAB-3 compound, most of the
interrogation rooms [which are openly seen] are equipped with torturing
apparatuses and many of the RAB-3 men are accused of raping females during
interrogation.
Weekly Blitz shall publish series of articles and investigative reports on
cocoon of terror of Rapid Action Battalion [RAB]. Our readers are requested
also to send us all specific allegations of human rights abuse or extra
judicial killing by this notorious organization in Bangladesh.
*Posted on 21 Mar 2008 by Root*
*
http://www.weeklyblitz.net/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1206082211&archive=&start_from=&ucat=2
&*
**
** Note:
COMMANDER OF KILLING MISSION: OPERATION CLEAN HEART *General Mashoud, so
called anti corruption crusader of DUDAK has his hands soaked in blood of
innocent Bangalees. As a Commander of 'Operation Clean Heart', he steered
Bangladesh Army for countrywide extrajudicial killing of scores of helpless
citizens. The then BNP government later through parliamentary caricature has
indemnified this barbaric act of the General. Does it open knot of the
mystery why Hasina is racing far ahead of Khaleda in facing charges
concocted by DUDAK and executed by present Army Chief.
We must raise popular demand now to annul all indemnity bills approved by
the rubber stamp parliaments to give legal immunity to the henious crimes
committed by the Bangladesh Army against humanity and against our nation.
*http://www.jagorookbangalee.blogspot.com/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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