The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances reported that they found specialized interrogation rooms equipped with "torture devices" in nearly every detention facility, despite perpetrators’ efforts to destroy evidence after the post-August 5, 2024 period.
"Nearly every detention centre we investigated had specialized interrogation rooms equipped with torture devices," reads the seventh chapter of the commission's second interim report titled “Unfolding the Truth: A Structural Diagnosis of Enforced Disappearance in Bangladesh.”
The report stated that significant efforts were made to destroy this evidence; however, the commission was able to "uncover traces that aligned with survivor testimonies, such as a rotating chair at RAB 2, CPC 3; the 'jom tupi' (head covering) at RAB 4 and DB; and the pulley system used to suspend people in the TFI (Taskforce Interrogation) cell."
It noted that at almost every destroyed location, remnants of soundproofing were found, as the system was designed to muffle victims' screams and prevent them from being heard beyond the room’s walls.
In some centres, the report said, music was also used to deaden the sounds of victims’ anguish, presumably for the enjoyment of the interrogators.
According to the report, victims endured prolonged discomfort due to a combination of physical and psychological abuse.
They were often given only half the food ration allotted to regular guards, kept handcuffed and blindfolded, and placed in solitary confinement.
"The uncertainty of their fate, coupled with these harsh conditions, led to constant distress," the report stated.
The commission said that torture victims were often held in enforced disappearance, allowing perpetrators to carry out their actions without the threat of legal consequences.
The uncertainty about whether a victim would ever appear in court or simply vanish from state records facilitated this unchecked abuse and emboldened perpetrators, making it much less likely for the torture to be interrupted or questioned.
In cases where torturers feared additional scrutiny, they took steps to erase evidence of their actions.
In some instances, perpetrators waited several weeks for captives to heal or bruises to fade before presenting them to the public, "ensuring that no obvious traces of their crimes remained."
The report said that besides exposing victims to generalized discomfort, beatings were the most common form of torture.
Other methods included electric shocks—sometimes applied to the genitals during urination—and the use of rotating devices such as chairs and full-body apparatuses.
The commission observed that personnel were consistently engaged over time, demonstrating that "the abuse was part of a sustained and organized effort."
This was also evident because equipment had to be procured, personnel trained, and methods institutionalized to ensure the continued operation of the system.
"The scale of the abuse and its persistent nature indicate that it was not only condoned at the ground level but likely supported by those at the highest echelons of power," the report read.
It added that a system of torture like this could not have existed without explicit approval from higher authorities, as "there had to be budget allocations for infrastructure, equipment procurement, and maintenance over time."
"Therefore, responsibility for these crimes against humanity cannot rest solely with the perpetrators on the ground; it extends to commanding officers and senior officials who allowed or even encouraged these practices," the report read.
