Mozena visits Odhikar office

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan W Mozena has expressed his deep concern over the detention of Odhikhar Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan.
“I am deeply concerned that he [Adilur] remains in prison. I would urge the government of Bangladesh to release him immediately,” he said, while visiting the human rights organisation's office in the capital's Banani yesterday.
Mozena along with two embassy staff, and Terrell Henry, research and legislative assistant of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, arrived at the human rights body's office around 12:30pm.
They later held an hour-long meeting with Odhikar president Dr CR Abrar, its founding member Saira Rahman Khan, director ASM Nasiruddin Elan, and senior researcher Taskin Fahmina.
The issue of Adilur's arrest had created concern around the world including his country, Mozena told journalists after coming out of the meeting.
“Any charges against him, I hope, would be pursued through judicial process,” he added.
Odhikar's president Abrar said the US delegation had asked whether Adilur, a former deputy attorney general, had been given any division in jail.
They also wanted to know about his present condition, and hoped that the matter would be resolved soon, Abrar added.
In reply to a question whether the US ambassador had asked for the list of victims mentioned in the Odhikar report, Abrar said the issue was not discussed in the meeting.
Adilur was arrested on August 10, and later sent to jail following the publication of a controversial report published by Odhikar, which claimed 61 people were killed in a crackdown by law enforcers on Hefajat-e Islam's programme in the capital's Shapla Chattar on May 5.
Odhikar's claim, however, contradicts the government's version that says 13 people died on that day.
The findings of mainstream electronic and print media also disagreed with the Odhikar report.
Promising to hold a non-violent rally to press home their demands, thousands of Hefajat activists occupied the capital's commercial hub on May 5, and destroyed public property.
Their demands included the arrest of “atheist bloggers” and realisation of the 13-point demand including the introduction of blasphemy law.
Members of police, Rapid Action Battalion, and Border Guard Bangladesh flushed them out in the early hours of May 6.