Asian Coalition for Housing Rights

Mon Feb 5 01:17:23 GMT 2007

Dear friends,

Massive evictions are taking place in Dhaka, Bangladesh since January 
24, 2007 to remove slums and hawkers from the along the railroad tracks, 
stations and roads.  The evictees were not provided with resettlement or 
rehabilitation, the preferred term in Bangladesh.  They are now 
homeless, hungry and sick.

It seems incomprehensible why the government is doing this since it 
mired in deep political crisis which has led to the creation of a 
non-party caretaker government run by a group of advisers and the 
declaration of state of emergency.

Please write a letter of protest/concern to the Bangladeshi authorities.

Below is a sample letter you can use.

Thanks.

Ted Anana
Eviction Watch and Housing Rights Program, ACHR

-----------------------------
SAMPLE LETTER

January 27, 2007

Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed
Chief Adviser
Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh
Tejgaon, Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 8113244 or 3243 or 1015 or 1490
E-mail: pm at pmobd.org <mailto:pm at pmobd.org> or psecretary at pmobd.org 
<mailto:psecretary at pmobd.org>

Subject:  On-going forced evictions violate human rights

Dear Mr. Chief Adviser,

Our organization has received very disturbing information from civil 
society organizations and  broadsheets in Bangladesh about the on-going 
massive forced evictions of  slums begun  January 24, 2007 that 
demolished 1,500 structures at Gandaria, Jurain and Shewrapara, 
Barolekha in Sylhet, Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria and Gafargaon in 
Mymensingh.  The evictees did not receive prior information,  were not 
consulted and did not receive rehabilitation.  The evictees are now 
homeless, exposed to the heat during the day and winter cold during 
nights and suffering from hunger and disease, especially the children, 
women and elderly.

As you know there is  international  recognition of forced evictions as 
gross violations of  the human right to adequate housing as enshrined in 
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and human rights treaties such 
as  the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural 
Rights(1966), International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 
(1966), International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 
Racial Discrimination (1966), Convention on the Rights of the Child 
(1989), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination 
Against Women(1979). The government of Bangladesh  has ratified these 
treaties.  The legally binding obligations arising from the treaties are 
clearly defined in UN documents, namely, the documents on the Right to 
Adequate Housing and on Forced Evictions issued by the UN Committee on 
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as well as the guidelines on 
displacements issued by the United Nations Council on Human Rights 
through its special rapporteur on the right to adequate housing.

It is quite difficult to understand why the government of Bangladesh is 
undertaking such activities  that clearly violate internationally 
recognized human rights standards when it is beset by a grave political 
crisis.  The violations can only aggravate the precarious situation and 
will definitely not engender greater sympathy  for the government from 
the international community.

Our organization strongly supports the  demands of the affected families 
and civil society organizations in Bangladesh:

Stop the on-going eviction drive;

Rehabilitate and compensate the evictees;

Provide shelter,  water,  food, medicines, electricity  and other 
amenities to the evictees;

Investigate and punish those who planned and implemented the forced 
evictions.

A few months ago the world was filled with admiration for Bangladesh 
when its famous son Mohammad Yunus won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for 
helping the poor to overcome poverty.  The on-going evictions in 
Bangladesh is moving in the opposite direction and will worsen the 
situation of the poor.  It is our sincere and urgent  wish that your 
government correct this.

Sincerely yours,

[Name]
[Country]
[Organization]

CC:

Adviser Barrister Mainul
 Hosein

Ministry of Law, Justice & Parliament Affairs

Ministry of Housing and Public Works

Ministry of Land

Ministry of Information
Building 4, BGD Sectt
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Fax: 7167236. 7162989, 7167125, 7168557

Adviser Maj Gen (Retd) M A Matin Adviser

Ministry of Communications

Building 7, BGD Sectt

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Fax: 7166636
Fax: 7169206

Adviser Ifftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Tel: (880-2)9562862,
Fax: (880-2) 9555283,
E-mail: webmaster at mofabd.org <mailto:webmaster at mofabd.org>

Chief Justice  Sayed J. R. Modassir Hossain
The Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Fax: +88-02-9565058

Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka
Dhaka City Corporation, Nagar Bhaban, Fulbaria,
Dhaka-1000. Bangladesh
Fax:880-2-9563514
E-mail: dcc at bijoy.net <mailto:dcc at bijoy.net>

Mr. Khoda Bokhs Chowdhury
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Bangladesh Police
Police Headquarters'
Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Fax: +88-02-9563362 or 9563363

Mr. S M Mizanur Rahman
Director General (DG)
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)
RAB Headquarter
Uttara, Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 8962884 (O)

Mr. A B M Bazlur Rahman
Commissioner
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP)
The DMP Headquarters
1, Shaheed Captain Monsur Ali Road
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Fax: +88-02-8322746 (O)

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