Update to BGD42046.E of 9 October 2003 on the Inu faction of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), its status, alliances with other parties and whether its members experience any problems with the government or police authorities (October 2003 - February 2005) [BGD43346.E]

The Inu faction of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), also known as the National Socialist Party, has been described as a leftist (BBC 10 Mar. 2004), "pro-liberation progressive party" (Dhaka Dainik Inqilab 9 Dec. 2003). News reports indicate that the party's president is Hasanul Huq Inu (New Age 8 Jan. 2005; OutlookIndia.com 8 Aug. 2004), the general secretary is Syed Jafar Sajjad (New Age 8 Jan. 2005) and the central committee joint secretary is Iqubol Hossain Khan (BBC 21 Sept. 2004). According to the Dhaka-based Independent, the JSD is one of two "leading wings" of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) (5 Jan. 2005), and its youth wing is the Jatiya Sramik Jote (Independent 26 Dec. 2004). Although information on JSD's alliances with other parties could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate, many news articles reported that the JSD organized and/or participated in various political activities during the period covered by this Response in cooperation with various political parties, including the Awami League (AL), the National Awami Party (NAP) and what has been referred to as the "left-leaning" 11-party-alliance (The Bangladesh Observer 12 Dec. 2004; The Daily Star 16 Mar. 2003; BBC 13 Apr. 2003; ibid. 10 Mar. 2004; ibid. 29 Apr. 2004; ibid. 21 Sept. 2004; ibid. 11 Oct. 2004; New Age 5 Feb. 2005; Bangladeshi News 29 Nov. 2004; ibid. 22 Sept. 2004). Many of these political activities were planned and carried out to demand the resignation of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) - Jamaat coalition government (The Bangladesh Observer 12 Dec. 2004; The Daily Star 16 Mar. 2003; BBC 10 Mar. 2004; ibid. 9 Apr. 2004; ibid. 29 Apr. 2004; ibid. 21 Sept. 2004; ibid. 11 Oct. 2004; Bangladeshi News 29 Nov. 2004; ibid. 22 Sept. 2004).

Information on the treatment of JSD members by the government and police authorities was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. There were news reports of JSD members having been arrested on two occasions in 2004 for their participation in anti-government demonstrations (BBC 11 Oct. 2004; ibid. 9 Apr. 2004). In March 2004, the JSD, along with four other leftist political parties "bitterly criticised the government for perpetrating persecution on its political opponents by utilising police and its 'goons' during the nation-wide hartal [strike] (see BBC 11 Oct. 2004) of 6 March [2004]" (ibid. 10 Mar. 2004). Additional information on problems experienced by JSD members with the government and police authorities could not be found among sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References


Bangladeshi News. 29 November 2004. Sajjadur Rahman Sajjad. "Opposition-No-Confidence Rally." (Dialog)

_____. 22 September 2004. "Opposition - Human Chain." (Dialog)

The Bangladesh Observer [Dhaka]. 12 December 2004. "Oppositions' Anti-Govt Cross Country 'Human Wall' Programme Observed." http://www.bangladeshobserveronline.com/new/2004/12/12/front.htm [Accessed 25 Feb. 2005]

BBC. 11 October 2004. "Bangladesh Opposition Parties Observe Strike. Clashes With Police Reported." (Dialog)

_____. 21 September 2004. "Bangladesh Opposition Rally Calls for Government's Resignation." (Dialog)

_____. 29 April 2004. "Bangladesh: Four 'Crude Bombs' Explode During Opposition Protest." (Dialog)

_____. 13 April 2003. "Thousands Demonstrate in Bangladesh Against Anglo-American Presence in Iraq." (Dialog)

_____. 9 April 2004. "Bangladesh: Two-Day Nationwide Strike Ends; 16 Arrested in Dhaka." (Dialog)

_____. 10 March 2004. "Bangladesh Opposition Leaders Urge Rallies to Oust 'Tyrant' Government." (Dialog)

The Daily Star [Dhaka]. 16 March 2003. "Peaceful Lawyers' Rallies at Supreme Court." http://www.dailystarnews.com [Accessed 21 Mar. 2003]

Dhaka Dainik Inqilab [in Bengali]. 9 December 2003. "Dhaka Daily Reports Opposition's Proposal to Ban Religion-Based Political Parties." (Dialog/WNC)

Independent [Dhaka]. 5 January 2005. "Dhaka Requests Islamabad to Let it Know New Date for SAARC Summit." (Dialog)

_____. 26 December 2004. "Parliament Dysfunctional, Says Justice Latifur Rahman." (Dialog)

New Age [Dhaka]. 5 February 2005. "Opposition Mourns Kibria's Death." http://www.newagebd.com/2005/feb/05/front.html [Accessed 25 Feb. 2005]

_____. 8 January 2005. "Politicians, Labour Leaders Condemn." http://www.newagebd.com/2005/jan/08/front.html [Accessed 25 Feb. 2005]

OutlookIndia.com. 8 August 2004. Hena Khan. "Terror in the Mail." (Dialog)

Additional Sources Consulted


The Europa World Year Book 2004

Political Parties of the World (2005)

Internet sites, including: All Headline News, Amnesty International (AI), Asia Source, Asia Times, Bangladeshi News Net, Bangladesher Dak, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2003, European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI), Freedom in the World 2004, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), OneWorld South Asia, South Asia Media Net, South Asia Monitor, South Asia Network.

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