The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Chittagong

A human rights watchdog here on Friday alleged that a 15-year old boy has been languishing in Chittagong Central Jail for last two weeks though no substantial allegation was found against him.

An investigation conducted by the human rights activists of local chapter of Bangladesh Society for the Enforcement of Human Rights (BSEHR) revealed that Satkania police in the district arrested Jamal Hossain, son of poor farmer Abdus Salam of Charati village on September 28 from his house though there was no case or arrest warrant was pending against him.

The detained innocent adolescent did not get the opportunity to celebrate Eid- ul-Fitr with his near and dear ones as he has been in the jail since then.

Satkania Police told the BSEHR team that they arrested Jamal Hossain on the basis of a pending warrant in connection with a robbery case with Bandarban Sadar thana filed on April 8 in 2000.

On the other hand, Bandarban Court Inspector Ohidul Alam told the fact finding team that the robbery case was settled much earlier and all the accused in the case were acquitted by the court in 2003.

The age of Jamal during the robbery was only 7 and his village Charati in Satkania upazila is about 60 kilometre off from the place of dacoity in Bandarban sadar thana, the inquiry report of the BSEHR said.

Jamal was now a student of class ten of Lohagara Islamia Dakhil Madrasa and previously he was not accused in any criminal case.

Delwar Hossain, elder brother of Jamal alleged that some of their neighbour instigated the Satkania police to arrest his innocent brother out of previous enmity on the basis of false warrant.

Chittagong Metropolitan chapter of the BSEHR conducted the investigation into the allegation submitted by the family of Jamal following a directive from the central executive director of the organisation Advocate Elina Khan.

The organisation has put forwarded a bail petition to a local court.

President of the local chapter of BSEHR Advocate Zia Habib Ahsan and general secretary Advocate Mohammad Sharifuddin demanded immediate release of Jamal and proper punishment of those responsible for the cruelty inflicted on the innocent boy.