Sirajul Salekin Rana, a local Swechhasebok League leader who has been accused of murdering the youth Monjurul Islam, allegedly runs this den with his musclemen under the very nose of law enforcement agencies.
Rana uses the rest house, which is on top of the Tayeba Mazumdar Red Crescent Blood Bank in the town's Upashahar area, as a drug dealing spot as well as a bar, the blood bank's management told the Dhaka Tribune.
On Tuesday, a young truck helper allegedly tortured in this rest house succumbed to his injuries at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital. Monjurul Islam's family said his nails had been pulled out, arms slit open and pepper and salt rubbed into the wounds.
They alleged that Rana and the owner of the truck abducted Monjurul on October 25 and took him to the rest house, where they tortured him throughout the night.
“With his dying breath, Monjurul told us that he had been questioned about a Yaba shipment in that truck which he knew nothing about and was then tortured, beaten with hot water bottles and lashed with electric cables,” said Nasima Begum, sister of the victim.
Read more: Dying Dinajpur truck helper names ruling party politico as murderer
However, locals and the blood bank management have revealed that incidents like these have been going on at the rest house for a while.
Altafuzzaman Mita, member secretary of the blood bank managing committee, said they had already informed Red Crescent Bangladesh’s central committee.
"A team compromising central committee delegates will come to investigate the matter. It is law enforcer’s duty to take actions against the criminals,” he said.
According to the blood bank information, Khaleda Zia, the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh, established the centre in the name of her mother in 2005 and it is operated by central committee of Red Crescent Bangladesh.
An employee at the blood bank, asking not to be named, said the blood bank had formed a new committee last year which used the place for criminal activities.
He said Rana had taken over the entire first floor of the blood bank and used it for illicit activities.
Raju Ahamed, the person in-charge of the centre, said he was transferred to Rangamati district as a result of protesting Rana.
“After taking the charge of the centre the new managing committee told me to give Rana few opportunities as he is powerful and influential. We gave him free space and he started running a torture cell here,” said Raju. “Apart from torturing people, Rana used this centre like a bar.”
The in-charge and member secretary alleged that law enforcers did not take any actions against Rana because Rana used to give them a lot of money in bribes. They urged the authorities to take action against Rana and his gang.
Law enforcement agencies, however, claimed that they have no information about any torture cell in the locality.
Redwanul Rahim, officer-in-charge of Sadar police station, said no complaints had been filed. "If anyone files complaint we will take actions against the accused,” he said.
Dinajpur Police Superintendent Hamidul Alam denied any knowledge of the blood bank but said they will take action against the "imposters".
Dinajpur Deputy Commissioner Mir Khairul Alam said the perpetrators would be brought to justice "no matter their political affiliation", and said the victim’s family would be provided with legal support.