The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Referring to the case of Mr. Shah Ams Kibria, a member of the Parliament of Bangladesh who was assassinated in January 2005, as outlined in the report of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CL/188/13(b)-R.1), and to the resolution adopted at its 187th session (October 2010),

Taking into account the information provided at a hearing the Committee held with members of the Bangladeshi delegation to the 124th IPU Assembly on progress in and challenges to the investigation into the grenade attack which led to Mr. Kibria's death,

Recalling the following: the initial inquiry in this case proved to be an attempt by the investigating officers to divert the course of justice; since the investigation was reopened in March 2007, Islamist militants belonging to the Horkatul Jihad al Islami (Huji), including its leader Mufti Hannan Munshi, have been implicated; according to the Home Ministry’s report of March 2010, seven persons have been arrested, including the two persons (Mizanur Rahman Mithu and Md Badrul Alam Mizan) who detonated the grenades; in addition, the former State Minister for Home Affairs, Mr. Lutfozzaman Babar, has also been arrested in this case; according to the authorities, substantial evidence continues to be collected and efforts are being made to resolve the case without further delay; the report of the reopened investigation has been deferred many times to enable the investigating officers to “finish the job”,

Considering that the Criminal Investigation Department has repeatedly requested additional time to submit its report on the investigation into the attack and that the Court has granted such requests, albeit most recently with a warning not to cause any further delays; on 4 February 2011, media reports quoted the Home Minister as having said that the investigation was nearing completion and that the trial would soon begin,

Considering that, according to the Bangladeshi delegation, the Standing Committee on the Ministry of Home Affairs, which meets once a month, continues to monitor the case; that the Ministry has been directed to report regularly on progress to the Standing Committee's meetings and is indeed doing so,

Considering finally that, according to the Bangladeshi delegation, Mr. Kibria's family is being kept informed of developments in the investigation and proceedings; recalling that Mr. Kibria's family stated in October 2010 that they had been contacted by the authorities, which wished to provide them with additional information on the status of the investigation, but which they had still not done,

1. Thanks the members of the Bangladeshi delegation for their cooperation and for the information provided;

2. Acknowledges that an investigation into a crime of this magnitude and its possible links with other crimes requires both time and thoroughness; trusts that the investigatory authorities, besides applying the necessary diligence, are acting as swiftly as possible to complete their report and hence allow justice to be dispensed without undue delay;

3. Wishes in this respect to ascertain whether the Criminal Investigation Department has indeed been able to meet the latest deadline set by the Court for the submission of its report and, if so, to learn of its contents inasmuch as it concerns public information;

4. Would be grateful to Parliament's Standing Committee on the Ministry of Home Affairs if it could, to the extent possible, share with the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians any official public information submitted to it;

5. Is gratified that information on the status of the investigation appears to have been recently provided to Mr. Kibria's family; trusts that the Parliament, through its Standing Committee, will ensure that such information continues to be provided to the family in a regular and timely manner; and would appreciate information as to whether this is indeed the case;

6. Requests the Secretary General to convey this resolution to the competent authorities, inviting them to provide the requested information; also requests the Secretary General to convey this resolution to the source;

7. Requests the Committee to continue examining this case and report to it at its next session, to be held on the occasion of the 125th IPU Assembly (October 2011).

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