Limon Hossain of Jhalakathi district whose leg was amputated after he was shot by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in 2012 has filed a complaint at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) against nine individuals including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's former security adviser Major General (Retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddiqui, sacked army official Ziaul Ahsan and the then CEO of RAB-8 Major Rashed.
Limon, an assistant professor of Gono University's law department, filed the complaint going to the office of chief prosecutor of the ICT early Tuesday afternoon.
On March 23, 2011, a RAB team shot Limon in the left leg at village Saturia in Jhalakathi and, later, picked him up and sent him to a hospital.
Four days after the shooting, Limon's leg had to be amputated at the National Institute of Traumatology Orthipedics and Rehabilitation (NITOR) in Dhaka.
On April 10, 2011, Limon's mother Henora Begum had filed an attempt to murder case with Jhalakathi Judges Court against six RAB personnel for shooting her son.
The incident happened just 12 days before of his HSC exam. Then Limon was only 16. Then he failed to take part in that year's HSC.
Limon said: "I was stigmatised in such a manner that I was a top terror of that time. Not only the RAB, the then home minister late Sahara Khatun phoned the Pangu Hospital authorities not to provide me any treatment there. Despite my physical condition was very serious, I was forcibly discharged from the hospital and taken to jail. I again came at the hosital receiving bail from court, but the hospital authorities declined to give me any treatment. Then Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury Sir took an initiative for my treatment while Ganashasthya and Prothom Alo took the initiaves of my education. At first, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) was assisting me in various ways. But later on the NHRC chief laid emphasis on reaching a settlement through negotiation on my issue. It was very unfortunate, because it was not an issue of settlement. I was made disabled for my entire life after amputating one of my legs inflicting torture on me."
Limon said he cited the names of nine accused including former prime minister's security adviser Major General (Retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddiqui, sacked army official Ziaul Ahsan and the then CEO of RAB-8 Major Rashed. There are more four to five unidentified persons made accused in the complaint.
"In fact, no compensation can cover when an individual loses his leg. There is a law in Bangladesh in this regard and I may get compensation on the basis of that law. At that time, High Court passed an order asking the state to take over my responsibility. But, the state didn't comply with the High Court order. The government then used to think itself above everything."
Limon said: "When I was shot, my mother had a demand. She went to the office of RAB-8 and told them to bear the expenses of treatment and take responsibility of my education. But, the RAB-8 declined to take the responsibility. They had always claimed that Limon was a terrorist. However, I got recovered with the assistance from Ganashasthya and other organisations and completed my education."
He said, "Now, my only demand is try those who disabled me physically for my entire life. Please try it through a fair investigation."
Limon said: "My family and I were not associated with any political party. In a report, Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) termed 'Limon was a good boy. However, the RAB didn't shoot him. I was known who shot him.' After the fall of fascism, a faith has created in the tribunal. Because of it I have come here today to submit a complain."
On March 23, 2011, during a RAB operation at two local siblings - Mizan and Morshed -- at Jamaddarhat, Rajapur upazila in Jhalakathi district, RAB personnel detained Limon Hossain mistakenly and shot him in the leg. During the treatment, his leg was amputated. The incident took place just 12 days before Limon's Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams when he was only 16 years old.
