A joint press conference was held demanding arrest, trial and punishment of slain garment workers Rafiqul Islam and in the protest of police harassment of innocent workers at the imitative of Motherland Garment Workers’ Federation, Readymade Garment Workers’ Federation, Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers’ Federation, Textile Garment Workers’ Federation, Bangladesh Garment Workers League, Bangladesh Garment Textile Workers’ Federation and Bangladesh Labor Rights Forum on 31 October 2020 at 11am at press club hall room in Mymensingh.

At a press conference, the leaders said that on March 13, 2020, during a picnic of workers, employees and officials of Orient Dresses Ltd at Green village Park owned by the company in Singrail village, Trishal Upazila, Mymensingh officials Sharif Mizanul Hoque, Iqbal Hossain and Liton boarded an unidentified vehicle No. 2 called Taj Minibus Service, then tortured and strangled garment worker Rafiqul Islam to death in a planned way. Kulsuma Begum, mother of the deceased Rafiqul Islam, appeared at Trishal Police Station on 14/03/2020 and lodged a complaint in the name of the said persons. Case No. 21, Trishal Thana Case No. 21 (3) 20, Trishal GR No. 104/2020, Section-302, 201, 34. But instead of arresting the main accused for seven months, the police administration tried to divert the case by arresting eyewitness garment workers Zahid, Shamim and Farooq, torturing them on remand and forcing them to confess.

They said that despite the arrest of the main accused Sharif Mizanul Haque on 22 September 2020 under the pressure of movement, the other two accused Iqbal Hossain and Liton are still roaming around in broad daylight and working regularly in Orient Dresses Ltd. under the shelter of the garment owner. They immediately call for the arrest of two other accused and bring them to trial. Rafiqul Islam’s mother Kulsuma Begum and father Abdul Quddus, who were present among us, demanded exemplary punishment for the murderers and said that no other mother’s lap like theirs should be emptied like this.

The leaders further said that among them are present eyewitness garment workers Zahid and Shamim who have just been released on bail. The police arrested them and brutally tortured them on the remand, forcing them to confess.

The case was handed over to the present investigation officer SI (C) Parimal Chandra Sarker (DB) Mymensingh.

The following demands were made at the press conference:

1) Punishment of the arrested main murderer Sharif Mizanul Haque.

2) The other two accused Iqbal Hossain and Liton should be arrested immediately.

3) By removing the eyewitnesses of the incident Zahidul and Shamim from the accused in the case, they should be included as witnesses.

The press conference was attended by the mother of the slain garment worker Rafiqul Islam Kulsuma Begum and father Adus Quddus along with the President of Bangladesh Labor Rights Forum Comrade Abul Hossain, Zayed Iqbal Khan, Mahbub Jewel, President of Readymade Garment Workers Federation Lovely Yasmin, President of Motherland Garment Workers Federation General Secretary Md. Al-Amin, President of Bangladesh Garment Workers League Md. Anisur Rahman, General Secretary of Bangladesh Garment Textile Workers Federation Abdullah Basir, President of Gazipur Metropolitan Committee of Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation Shafiul Alam and others.

The written statement was read out by Motherland Garment Workers Federation President Saleha Islam Santona.

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