Custodial death of a UPDF activist in Chittagong

Chawla Prue Tripua (38), a member of the United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF), died in Chittagong Medical College and Hospital on 5 July 2005. The Chittagong jail authority decided to transfer him to the hospital as his condition deteriorated. He was admitted on 15 June and awarded bed No. X 5-A in Ward No. 25.

He was suffering from various diseases including acute abdominal pain. The doctors certified that he died of “Irreversible cardio respiratory failure due to intestinal obstruction due to (3) intestinal tuberculosis IHD”

Mr. Tripura was arrested by members of the Bangladesh Army on 26 August 2003 from Mahalchari along with four others. They are Ripru Marma alias Aarong, Sona Charan Chakma, Bijoy Chakma and Pentha Tripura. They have two cases filed under the Arms Act of 1878. One of the cases was filed with Guimara police station under section 19(Ka) and 19(Cha) of the Arms Act [Case No. 3(8) 2003, G.R. 187/03]. The other one – the case No. of which is 1(8) 03, G.R. 182/03 – was filed with Mahalchari police station under the same sections, which deal with illegal possession of firearms.

All of them had been detained in Khagrachari district jail for 4-5 months before their transfer to Chittagong jail. After the death of Chawla Prue Tripura, the rest are still languishing within four walls of the notorious Chittagong jail, with no sign of immediate trial or release.

Due to inhumane and filthy conditions inside the jail, Mr. Tripura fell ill. Few days before he was admitted to the Chittagong hospital his lawyer Tutul Bahar had prayed for bail in the court of Sessions Judge on physical ground. But the Judge, who is the Additional Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong, refused to grant bail saying he was not convinced that his conditions had deteriorated to such an extent that would warrant a grant of bail.

He died after 20 days of treatment under police custody in Chittagong Medical College Hospital. It is not clear what actually caused his death and whether there was any willful neglect on the part of the attending doctors. Neither could it be ascertained whether there was an element of conspiracy to simply get rid of him.

UPDF members saw Chawla Pru Tripura a number of times in his hospital bed constantly guarded by two policemen and never found him in such a condition that would give one a sense of no hope. They talked to him each time they saw him and learnt harrowing details of the conditions in which the prisoners had to live. The last time they visited him was on 1 July when they found him arguing with the police over their visits.

Mr. Tripura joined UPDF as he felt that following the surrender of the Jana Samhati Samiti Jumma people needed a strong mass based political party to lead the struggle. He worked hard and helped build a strong support base for the party in Mahalchari.

He never possessed any arms; neither did the army found one during arrest.

Prepared by Human Rights Monitoring Cell, United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) on 6th September 2005.