On 24 May 2011, human rights defender Mr Dipal Barua was reportedly abducted by unknown men, ill-treated and interrogated about his human rights work. He was released and to his home in Dhaka, Bangladesh the following day. Dipal Barua works with people who are facing human rights violations and abuses. He completed a human rights training course with the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) in December 2009. He was recently involved in providing assistance to Mr FMA Razzak, President of the Human Rights Development Centre (HRDC) and editor of the Gonomichhil fortnightly newspaper, who remains in a critical condition in hospital following an abduction and brutal attack in Paikgachha, Bangladesh on 29 April 2011.

Further Information

On 24 May 2011, at approximately 11am, as Dipal Barua was walking near the Sayeedabad bus terminal on his way back from visiting a friend he was approached by a man wearing black sunglasses who asked him for directions. As he walked with the man to show him the way they passed a black jeep and a man from within pulled Dipal Barua into the vehicle which quickly moved off. It is reported that there were four men in the jeep who immediately took his mobile phone and blindfolded him, shouting abusive language at him as they drove. They also covered his head with a black cloth and handcuffed him. The jeep arrived at an unknown location where Dipal Barua was allegedly put into a room where the handcuffs were removed and he was ordered to take off his clothes. It is reported that he was left naked in the cold room for approximately seven hours during which time his requests for water were ignored and he was forced to urinate in the room. He was then allegedly taken to another room where seven or eight men proceeded to interrogate him. It is reported that he was questioned regarding FMA Razzak and the AHRC. He was asked why he had visited FMA Razzak in hospital, why FMA Razzak had been moved to a private hospital and who the representatives from the AHRC who came to investigate FMA Razzak's attack were. He was interrogated regarding how long he had been working with the AHRC and was asked to give the names of people who were working for the AHRC and where the money that he and his friends had received for their human rights work was. The interrogators threatened to kill him and told him to cease all contact with all persons connected with the AHRC, some of whom they named specifically. They told him that they were going to give him a chance and that he should take it as he would not get another one should he have any contact with those people. Following the interrogation he was brought back to the scene of the abduction.

The abduction of Dipal Barua follows his recent hospital visit to FMA Razzak who was the subject of a Front Line urgent appeal on 5 May 2011 following the brutal attack on him during which his eyes were gouged and several of his bones were broken. Dipal Barua also met with two members of the AHRC during their visit to investigate the attack on FMA Razzak between the 17 and 21 May. Other local activists who helped the AHRC with their investigation have been seriously threatened in recent days.

Front Line believes that the disappearance of Dipal Barua is directly related to his work in defence of human rights and in particular to the recent assistance he provided in the case of FMA Razzak. Front Line is seriously concerned for his physical and psychological integrity.