AcknowledgementsThis report was researched and written by Fred Abrahams, senior emergencies researcher at Human Rights Watch. Dhaka-based journalist and human rights activist Tasneem Khalil provided invaluable research support. Many Bangladeshi human rights activists, lawyers, and journalists assisted with the work, in particular Sara Hossain, lawyer and human rights activist, and Rosaline Costa, director of Hotline Human Rights Bangladesh. Faruq Hasan provided translation help. The published material of local organizations, particularly the human rights groups Ain o Salish Kendra, Hotline Human Rights Bangladesh, and Odhikar provided background, context, legal analysis, and important facts. Brad Adams, executive director of the Asia Division at Human Rights Watch, and Ian Gorvin, consultant to the Program Office at Human Rights Watch, edited the report. James Ross, senior legal advisor, provided legal review. Brad Archer, intern in the Emergencies Program, and Rizwan Rahman provided valuable research help. Andrea Cottom and Dominique Chambless, Associates in the Asia Division, helped prepare the graphs and format the report. Fitzroy Hepkins, Andrea Holley, and Grace Choi provided production assistance. Romesh Silva, statistician with the Benetech Human Rights Data Analysis Group, conducted the statistical analysis and wrote the chapter on statistics. Patrick Ball, director of Benetech’s Human Rights Data Analysis Group, reviewed the statistical analysis. Brad Archer helped maintain the database. Human Rights Watch thanks the many witnesses and victims who took time to share their stories, as well as the Bangladeshi human rights activists, lawyers, and journalists who greatly assisted the work. |