Eviction drive in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Sat Jan 27 14:09:39 GMT 2007

Anana Ted wrote:
> 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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