Limon and Human Rights

Masum Billah :The harrowing stories of Limon, poor parents’  college going innocent son, has once again baffled us about the security of commoners in the country(Bangladesh). The cruel act of RAB has not only maimed him physically, he has been tortured mentally and psychologically  and his whole family has been passing through a nightmare experience. More worse is the continuous effort of the authorities concerned to establish him as a terrorist with the help and false evidence of ruling party student wings which makes us appalled. Questions come where we are living. When innocent Limon was shot wrongly he deserved sympathy, treatment  and rehabilitation. We expected that. We expected the law enforcing agencies would beg pardon and immediately make arrangement for his better treatment. But alas! What followed. He had been hurriedly released from Dhaka Pangu Hospital and was sent to Jhalakathai jail. Is his place still in the jail. The whole path he was both physically and mentally tortured. What was the reason to send him to jail so hurriedly? More harrowing tales followed  when he was sent to Barisal Shere e Bangla Medical college hospital prison cell, his scratches were kept outside his room, the newspaper picture showed it. He was not given any food lest he should feel the pressure of urine and stool. He was unable to visit bathroom alone without any help. Even then he was kept alone. No journalists were allowed to talk to him. After trying heaven and earth when his parents were allowed to meet him just for twenty minutes, they could not say anything but cry. He did not know why he was given so punishment. Why he was kept imprisoned. He could not go to bathroom in spite of so much pressure. No jail guard helped him do it. His father bought some biscuits for him on his way to Jhalakathi from Dhaka but the he was not given it on the plea to avoid visiting bathroom.  We are living in a free country, we are living in the free flow of media, we are talking about human rights, we are talking about rules of law but we give such kind of prize to our innocent citizens.

No world power can return the natural leg of Limon. Nothing can compensate it. But he has every right to live like a human being. He has the right to continue his education. He cannot be the victim of someone’s’ fault. He cannot be victim of somebody’s whims whoever he or they are. It is learnt from the news that Criminal Murshed and his associates were hiding in the thick vegetation by Sandhy river. On the day, Limon was home preparing for his upcoming final examination. Towards the afternoon his mother told him to get the family calf which went astray as high tide flooded the grazing  field next to their house. Limon found the calf at a higher point near a small culvert just across the field. Limon was accompanied by  Abir, a twelve year old neighbor.  Having found the calf Limon casually sat on the railing of the culvert. He was in a wrong place at a wrong time which brought bad luck for him.  Suddenly two RAB men appeared on the spot and grabbed Limon by his shirt and asked him the whereabouts of Murshed. Within several minutes he was shot on his knee.  It was rumored that Limon was killed. His uncle and many villagers went to the spot and his uncle was mercilessly beaten by RAB men. Tokacher a 70 year old neighbor was asked my RAB men to identify the shot Limon. He just said “What have you done. He is an innocent college going boy.” Hearing his comment the RAB men immediately  reacted and panic became apparent   in their face. ‘Md. Nasiruddin  Mhamud, principal pof Limon’s College  told “ Limon was an ideal student loved by all the staff. His attendance was ninety percent in the class and his college performance was excellent. We never heard of any report of his involvement with any untoward incident. I am deeply shocked for what he went through”. In spite of these proofs and facts, the law enforcing authorities are continuously trying to prove him criminal.

The subsequent events were supposed to be the asking for pardon for the wrongly identification and make all necessary arrangements to compensate it and trying to stand beside him, his parents so that they can lead his life almost normally. But just the reverse  things happened. As soon as it was proved by the media that he was just a student, not criminal, the authorities leaving all kinds of humanity, tired its level best to colour him as a criminal and continued harassing him more than unusual. In the hospital, on the way , in the prison cell , in the prison van. Everywhere he was tortured. Still he is tortured. RAB was established by the previous government to maintain peace and order of the country and ensure security of the citizens. They actually did many commendable jobs since its establishment along with many questionable tasks. The present government also faced many questions from the human rights groups both nationally and globally. It is interesting to note, the government hardly appreciate the initiative of the previous government but in the case of RAB it did not happen. Causes are mysterious. However, RABs are the sons of this soil. They definitely have patriotism. They must have some philosophy and tactics to nab the criminals and bring them under trail and punishment. On the other hand, they must have the considerations for  the peaceful citizens; they must have judgment to be sure who are criminals. Above all, they must respect human  rights whoever he or she is. We are all humans. Nobody comes to this world as a criminal. This society makes one criminal. Criminals are everywhere. They have special kind of treatment. They must  be put to jail after proper trial and judgment and have special kind of training  in the jail so that they can be brought back to normal life and contribute to human society. They must be in jail for a certain period of time to correct themselves. But the stories of our jails and goals prove that the petty -criminals become confirmed and dangerous criminals after living there. Who is there to look after? The newspaper reports say that dangerous criminals in the jail conduct their activities living inside t. Very sad example it is. How does it happen? Newspapers also say that special units were formed during the caretaker government  to correct the criminals and to regularly take their account . Now no sign of it appears. We request the authorities concerned to look into the matter and do something positive so that criminals in the jail can get the chance to change their lives where they are released after a certain period of time.  If everything happens like British or Pakistani period, then what advancement we have done so far?

Limon’s mother Henora Begum and father Tafazzal Hossain  struggled hard to educate their two sons. Hemayet Hosssain  Sumon, a BA final year student, Limon a HSC student of Accounting and Trade and daughter  Lucky Akter who is also a BA student. This saddest incident has broken the dreams of the family. It has broken the faith of the common people upon the law enforcing agencies. There is no harm to beg pardon when wrong is identified and fault is proved but it is sad enough we could not have established such kind of culture. We have develop an opposite culture. If someone falls in danger, throw more dangers upon him. Throw more dangers upon those who come to help him. But thanks to our media. They have done much to draw the attention of law. They have done a lot to at least manage his bail. Now what we should do? We all and the human rights groups should come forward to help continue Limon’s best treatment, education and manage a handsome amount of money for him to conduct an independent  business so that he can run his family well and manage some employments for some other people in his business firm.

In human court and trail we try to make someone scope goat for the time being. We even inflict severe torture and punishment for nothing even if we know someone is innocent. We don’t know why we do it. We don’t know why we support it. We don’t know why we try to cover it with falseness and stupidity. We forget that there is another court which none of us can avoid. None of us can place any false evidence there.  None of us can stand for there for an illegal case just to make us safe or heel the wound in a false way.

(Masum Billah, Program Manager: BRAC Education Program and Vice-President: Bangladesh English Language Teachers’ Association ( BELTA),Cell: 01714-091431,Email: [email protected])