Bangladesh

Staff Correspondent

National Citizen Party leader Gazi Salahuddin Tanvir has alleged that he was tortured and mistreated while in police and prison custody, and has called for a judicial inquiry into what he says happened to him during his detention.

Tanvir, joint member secretary of the NCP’s Bogura unit, made the allegations at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity on September 26. He said the alleged abuse began after his arrest on August 5 and continued during his time in custody.

In his account, Tanvir said he was kept in a dark and poorly ventilated cell at Bogura District Jail. He alleged that the conditions were unhealthy and that he was subjected to verbal abuse by prison officials.

He also made a serious allegation about the use of injections. Tanvir claimed he was given between 70 and 80 injections while in custody but was not properly told what medicines he was being given or why they were necessary.

Tanvir further alleged that he was subjected to electric shocks while in police remand and was deprived of sleep. He said the experience caused severe physical and mental distress.

His health, meanwhile, deteriorated during his detention. After falling ill, he was first treated at the jail hospital before being transferred to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital. On September 7, he was taken to Bangladesh Medical University in Dhaka for further treatment.

Tanvir was released on bail from Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj on September 15.

The prison authorities have strongly rejected his allegations. In a statement, the Department of Prisons said it had investigated the matter and found no evidence that Tanvir had been physically or mentally tortured at either Bogura District Jail or Dhaka Central Jail.

The authorities also denied any misconduct by prison officials and asked Tanvir to provide supporting evidence, including medical records, documents, audio or video recordings and witness accounts.

That leaves two sharply different accounts of what happened during Tanvir’s detention.

The allegations are serious enough to warrant an independent examination. Medical records, prison documents, CCTV footage, treatment records and the accounts of people who were involved in his detention could help establish what actually happened.

A judicial inquiry would also provide an opportunity to determine whether any law enforcement or prison officials abused their authority.

The issue goes beyond Tanvir or his political affiliation. Any credible allegation of torture in custody raises questions about the rule of law and the safeguards available to people in state detention.

If the allegations are proved, those responsible should face the law. If they are not substantiated, an independent inquiry should make that clear as well.

For now, Tanvir is demanding a judicial investigation, while the prison authorities maintain that their own inquiry found no evidence of torture.