CAT/C/41/D/326/2007
Page 3
The facts as presented by the complainant
2.1 The complainant lived with his family in the city of Munshigonj, Bangladesh. He was a
member of the Awami League, one of the main political parties in the country. In this capacity,
he took part in demonstrations and political meetings, distributed leaflets and put up posters. On
1 October 2001, the day of the general elections, the complainant and others were at a polling
station, protesting about the fact that supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) were
not allowing people to vote for the Awami League. The complainant was assaulted by BNP
supporters with hockey sticks. The Bangladesh Rifles1 subsequently closed the polling station.
2.2 On 20 October 2001, BNP supporters kidnapped the complainant and took him to a secret,
isolated room in Islampur, where he was subject to severe ill-treatment. He was hit with
truncheons on his back and burnt with cigarettes on his feet. He was released on 24 October
2001 and taken to Munshigonj City Hospital, where he was treated for burns and for injuries to
his back. He was hospitalized until 26 December 2001 2 . After being informed that BNP
supporters planned to assault him again, he left the hospital and went to Dhaka and then
Chittagong. He complained to the police about this assault, but no action was taken.3
2.3 On an unspecified date in October/November 2002, the complainant was taken by BNP
supporters and the police to a police station in Munshigonj. He was kept there for two days and
he was allegedly tortured. He was released after his relatives bribed the police. After his release
he stayed in the hospital for around 15 days and later travelled to Dhaka, where he stayed for six
months.
2.4 On 23 May 2003, the complainant read in a newspaper that one of his friends had been
murdered. Fearing for the complainant’s security, his family decided that he should leave the
country. With the assistance of a smuggler, the complainant left Bangladesh on 13 October 2003.
Upon arrival in Sweden, on 14 October 2003, he applied for asylum. The Migration Board
rejected his application on 3 March 2004. The Aliens Appeal Board confirmed this decision on
21 April 2005.
2.5 After the complainant’s arrival in Sweden, the complainant’s father allegedly was
threatened several times and the family’s house was vandalized. His father also informed him
that the complainant was accused of the murder of a BNP supporter in Court Gaon, whose body
was found on 25 May 2003.
2.6 On 8 February 2006, the complainant filed a new application for a residence permit. On 11
August 2006, the Migration Board rejected it. In the new application, he submitted new evidence,
including two police reports and charge sheets, which showed that M. F. was among those
charged for murdering a certain Mr. H. on 10 September 2001 and also that he was charged for
1
Part of the Bangladeshi armed forces.
2
Please note that a “release certificate” allegedly issued by the hospital states that the
complainant was hospitalized from 25 September 2001 to 26 December 2001.
3
There are contradictory statements as to whether a complaint was filed or not.