THE NATION saw false cases made against Limon dropped last week after he had to suffer injustice for 3 years straight. Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has raised demands for exemplary punishment for those responsible for maiming Limon Hossain and falsely accusing him and imprisoning him for crimes he did not commit. Even though many breathed a sigh of relief for Limon as his legal battles are over, it is still questionable whether justice was really done to him. Putting it more strait, is mere withdrawal of cases against Limon enough?
Local dailies reported that TIB in a statement also called for punishing those who acted as instigators and had direct roles in registering the conspiratorial and false case to harass Limon. The report further added that the Anti-Corruption watchdog demanded compensation for the youth, who lost one of his legs in a RAB shooting in 2011. Experts also clarified how the government’s commitment to build law enforcement agencies with the aim of serving people will become an empty promise if the offenders cannot be brought to justice. Unfortunately, though the State was ordered by the High Court to bear the expenses for Limon’s treatment, sources confirmed that the State did not do so and instead, relatives and other citizens of Bangladesh came forward in help of Limon to support his treatment.
Merely withdrawing cases against Limon is not enough to make up for the cruel injustices done to Limon. It is only the first step in rectifying the government’s mistake in persecuting Limon in the name of prosecution and not holding the actual perpetrators of the crimes to account for their actions. Limon must be compensated for the losses that he has incurred so far and financial support should be given to him by the government so that he can make something of himself instead of forever remaining ‘a victim of politically motivated law enforcers’ who remain beyond reach of the law.
Even if law enforcers have a right to detain culprits by force under specific circumstances, there is no justification behind severe maiming or custodial killings as the State (or its legal enforcers) does not have the constitutional right to kill (or maim and implicate them in false cases as in Limon’s case) citizens at will as the right to life is a fundamental constitutional right.
If the government does not clean up the mess that the RAB had made, the rule of law will not be maintained and further irresponsible occurrences like that ( Narayangonj 7 murders and Khulna killings suit as better examples) which befell Limon will take place, and that was not, and will not be acceptable under any circumstances.
