Shamsul Haider Siddique
{{Short description|Bangladeshi army officer and prison inspector}}
{{infobox military person
|name = Shamsul Haider Siddique
|allegiance = {{BAN}}
|branch = {{army|Bangladesh}}
{{flagicon image|বর্ডার গার্ড বাংলাদেশের পতাকা.svg}} Bangladesh Rifles
|serviceyears = 1976 - 2009
|unit = Army Service Corps
|commands = *CO of SSD, Rangpur
- CO of 23rd Rifles Battalion
- Sector Commander of Bangladesh Rifles
- Deputy Inspector General of Bangladesh Jail
|battles = Chittagong Hill Tracts Conflict
2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis
}}
Shamsul Haider Siddique is a former Bangladesh Army officer and former deputy inspector general of prisons of Bangladesh Jail.{{Cite news |title=Bangla seeks Interpol help to bring 2 HuJi men from India - Indian Express |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/bangla-seeks-interpol-help-to-bring-2-huji-men-from-india/243994/ |access-date=2023-02-06 |work=The Indian Express}} He was second in command of the prison system and served under brigadier general Mohammad Zakir Hassan.{{Cite news |date=2008-01-28 |title=14 VIPs 'overstay' at BSMMU prison cell |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-20937 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} He served{{Cite news |date=2008-09-24 |title=AKM Mosharraf, ex-MP Milon freed on bail |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-56277 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} during the 2006–2008 Bangladeshi political crisis began as a military backed caretaker government assumed power at the end of October 2006 following the end of term of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party administration during time numerous politicians, including former ministers and two former prime ministers, were jailed.{{cite news |last=Rahman |first=Waliur |date=8 January 2007 |title=Is Bangladesh heading towards disaster? |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6241263.stm |url-status=live |access-date=11 January 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191114061624/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6241263.stm |archive-date=14 November 2019}}{{cite news |date=11 October 2011 |title=Wikileaks Exposék M Hasan picked advisors before selection |work=bdnews24 |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/wikileaks/wikileaks-exposck-m-hasan-picked-advisors-before-selection1 }}{{cite journal |author=Rakib Hasnet Suman |date=6 August 2012 |title=Khaleda admits 2006 'mistake' |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-245015 |access-date=10 December 2012 |newspaper=The Daily Start}}{{cite journal |author=Rakib Hasnet Suman |date=6 August 2012 |title=Khaleda admits 2006 'mistake' |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-245015 |access-date=10 December 2012 |newspaper=The Daily Start}}
Siddique was responsible for the special cell where former prime ministers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia were detained.{{Cite news |date=2007-10-31 |title=Dr Wazed visits Hasina in jail |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-9640 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2007-10-02 |title=Hasina seeks to withdraw Tk 7 lakh for tax payment |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-6297 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2008-06-04 |title=Govt working on ways to 'release' 2 ex-PMs |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-39627 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} He oversaw the detention of more than a hundred political prisoners.{{Cite news |title=DIG prisons gets another year's tenure |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/dig-prisons-gets-another-year-s-tenure |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=bdnews24.com |language=en}}
Career
On 20 June 2007, Siddique reported AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed, convicted assassin of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is seeking to appeal the death penalty against him.{{Cite news |title=Law and Our Rights |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/law/2007/06/04/week.htm |access-date=2023-02-06 |work=The Daily Star}} In September, he escorted Arafat Rahman Koko, son of former Prime Khaleda Zia, to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University where he was subsequently admitted.{{Cite news |date=2007-09-08 |title=Koko admitted to BSMMU |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-3159 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} In November, he put prisons on alert across Bangladesh after Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh tried to carryout a jail break in Comilla.{{Cite news |date=2007-11-27 |title=Jails on alert after failed JMB escape attempt |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-13255 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} He was the jailer of the Special Prison (sub-jail) established in the Jatiya Sangsad, the national parliament, where former Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia were detained. Siddique went a study tour of Iran sponsored by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.{{Cite web |title=List of Participants |url=https://www.unodc.org/pdf/india/Participants_Iran%20study%20tour.pdf |access-date=6 February 2022 |website=United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime}}
In December 2007, Siddique told The Daily Star that there were 600 prisoners sent to rigorous imprisonment who were given the duty to kill flies as they were too weak for more heavy duty work.{{Cite news |last=Sarkar |first=Kailash |date=2007-12-10 |title=They kill flies, work their way out of jails |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-14913 |access-date=2023-02-06 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} He also told the newspaper that former Minister of Home Affairs Mohammad Nasim and former State Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism Mir Mohammad Nasiruddin were working as librarians. He mentioned other ministers Wadud Bhuiyan, Amanullah Aman, and Ruhul Kuddus Talukder Dulu were working as gardeners. He told ATN Bangla, that former Minister of Law Moudud Ahmed spent his days writing in jail.{{Cite news |date=2007-08-18 |title=Days of former bigwigs in Dhaka jail |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-574 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} He also spoke to the media about Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and Nazmul Huda.
Siddique helped Bangladesh Army and the Election Commission register prisoners for the voters list.{{Cite news |date=2008-02-16 |title=2,054 Dhaka jail inmates made voters |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-23622 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} He reported that he only allowed the purchase of Islamic books now but various genres of books were purchased in the past.{{Cite news |last=Sarkar |first=Kailash |date=2008-02-07 |title=Dhaka Jail library left unused for years |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-22309 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} He decided to purchase 6,500 Chinese .303 rifles and 10 thousand bullets from Bangladesh Police and Bangladesh Army for jail guards.{{Cite news |last=Sarkar |first=Kailash |date=2008-04-19 |title=Arms, ammo being purchased to strengthen jail security |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-32804 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} He choose to purchase 1000 rifles from the police and 5500 from the army. Bangladesh army also consented to provide 550,000 bullets for free to the jail guards. In June 2008, Sheikh Hasina was released from jail.{{Cite news |agency=PTI |date=Jun 12, 2008 |title=Sheikh Hasina released from prison |url=https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/news/world/sheikh-hasina-released-from-prison/articleshow/15819531.cms |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=Mumbai Mirror |language=en}} He organized field trips for children kept in jail with their detained mothers.{{Cite news |date=2008-08-20 |title=Fresh air for jail kids |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-51045 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} He reported the jails had no ambulances and there was a shortage of nurses and doctors.{{Cite news |last=Sarkar |first=Kailash |date=2008-06-01 |title=Jails desperate for doctors |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-39181 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Sarkar |first=Kailash |date=2008-02-01 |title=Only 16 doctors treat 86,000 jail inmates |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-21500 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} In September 2008, Siddique visited Tarique Rahman son of former Prime Khaleda Zia, at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and ordered the removal of prison guards as he had received bail.{{Cite news |date=2008-09-04 |title=Tarique freed on bail |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-53230 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} In November, the government extended Siddiques job by one year,
In January 2009, Siddique kept Ranglai Mro, an indigenous peoples rights activist detained in 2007, in handcuff while he was getting treated at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases for injuries sustained during torture in custody which drew flank from the media.{{Cite news |date=2009-01-23 |title=Ranglai Mro still handcuffed |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-72546 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} Some guards clashed with students of the Bokshibazar Alia Madarssa over playing in a field owned by the jail in January 2009.{{Cite news |date=2009-01-24 |title=25 injured in clash between jail guards and madarssa students |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world/25-injured-in-clash-between-jail-guards-and-madarssa-students/story-IJGBWV65FA34OWwNrUCJcJ.html |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=Hindustan Times |language=en}} The Awami League comes to power in 2009 and Sheikh Hasina becomes Prime Minister replacing the caretaker government.{{Cite news |date=2009-02-04 |title=Brig Gen Moqbul Hossain made IG-Prisons |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-74370 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} According to an investigation by a team of the Jail Directorate led by Commander M Zakaria Khan, Siddique was found guilty of violating 15 codes of the jail in February 2009.{{Cite news |last=Sarkar |first=Kailash |date=2009-02-07 |title=DIG-Prisons violated code, abused power |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-74774 |access-date=2023-02-06 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} He was found favoring convict Monowar Hossain Dipjol in prison and giving him special privileges such as allowing 200 visitors for Dipjol in 52 days. In February, Inspector General of Prison Brigadier General Zakir Hassan was replaced with Brigadier General AHM Moqbul Hossain. Siddique was transferred from Dhaka Division to Barisal-Khulna division and was replaced by Major Sheikh Saiful Alam from Chittagong Division.{{Cite news |title=DIGs of prisons relocated |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/digs-of-prisons-relocated |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=bdnews24.com |language=en}}
In 2022, Siddique the general manager of BM Container Depot, owned by Smart Group, in Sitakunda, Chittagong.{{Cite news |date=2022-06-11 |title=Ctg fire: CID seizes 7 DVRs of BM Container Depot |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/accidents-fires/news/ctg-fire-cid-seizes-7-dvrs-bm-container-depot-3044806 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}}{{Cite news |title=Two injured BM Depot officials prosecuted |url=https://www.newagebd.net/article/172992/two-injured-bm-depot-officials-prosecuted |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=New Age |language=en}} The depot caught fire in the 2022 Sitakunda fire which originated from the storage of the depot.{{Cite news |date=2022-06-10 |title=DGHS and CID personnel visit Ctg's BM Depot, collect samples |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/accidents-fires/news/dghs-and-cid-personnel-visit-ctgs-bm-depot-collect-samples-3044166 |access-date=2023-02-07 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}}
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Siddique, Shamsul Haider}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Bangladesh Army officers