Prof Karzon demands Tk5 crore compensation citing violation of constitutional rights in custody
“Our human rights have been violated. Everything the public prosecutor says is false. We are victims and I demand Tk5 crore," he said
Professor Hafizur Rahman Karzon has demanded Tk5 crore from the government, saying his rights under Article 33 of the Constitution were violated and he faced humiliation in custody.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana Haque ordered the detention of former minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Professor Karzon and 16 others in a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act at Shahbagh police station today (29 August) at 10:30 am.
The investigation officer, Shahbagh police sub-inspector Taufiq Hasan, and Additional Public Prosecutor Md Shamsuddoha Suman sought to send them to jail.
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During the hearing, Professor Karzon raised a copy of the Constitution and said, "Our human rights have been violated. Everything the public prosecutor says is false. We are victims and I demand Tk5 crore. Grant us bail immediately."
He added that he was not allowed to appoint a lawyer and had to spend the night in a lock-up without a fan or soap.
According to Karzon, he was attending a programme at DRU yesterday (28 August) at 10 am, organised by Zahidul Haque Panna. The event included a freedom fighter as stage secretary and Dr Kamal Hossain as the scheduled chief guest. He was speaking on the Liberation War and the Constitution when attackers forcefully removed them.
"We are victims while the real criminals remain free. We have been arrested instead of the perpetrators," he said.
After the hearing, he showed the Constitution in court. "This Constitution was written with the blood of three million martyrs. It must be protected," he said.
Karzon's lawyer Farzana Yasmin Rakhi told reporters that the detainees, including Latif Siddique were kept in dusty conditions without a fan. "Their rights under Article 33 were violated," she said.
