The deaths of a student in Detective Branch (DB) custody in Faridpur and a Jubo League leader in prison custody in Chittagong within days of each other have once again put Bangladesh’s long-running record of custodial deaths under scrutiny, raising fresh questions over whether political transitions and legal reforms have translated into greater accountability for those held by the state.
Human rights organisations say the latest incidents are part of a much older pattern.
According to rights watchdog Odhikar, at least 486 people have died in custody in Bangladesh between 2001 and June 22, 2026, despite constitutional protections, international commitments and the enactment of the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act, 2013.
During the same period, the organisation documented 4,289 alleged extrajudicial killings.
The latest controversy began after Mirza Ishtiaq Ahmed Pranto, a law college student from Faridpur, died a day after being taken into DB custody.
His family alleges he was tortured to death, while police say he fell ill and insist no conclusion should be drawn before the investigation and post-mortem reports are completed.
Days later, Jubo League leader Nurul Alam died after being transferred from Chittagong Central Jail to hospital.
His family claims he was healthy when arrested and accuses authorities of custodial abuse.
Prison authorities reject the allegation, saying he became ill in custody and died while undergoing treatment.
The conflicting accounts have renewed a familiar debate over transparency in investigations into deaths that occur while individuals are under state control.
Data compiled by Odhikar shows that custodial deaths have persisted under successive administrations.
The organisation recorded 184 custodial deaths during the BNP-led government between 2001 and 2006, six during the brief caretaker administration that followed, 42 under the military-backed caretaker government between 2007 and 2009, and 213 during the Awami League government from 2009 until mid-2024 -- the highest recorded under any administration.
Since the political transition following the July-August 2024 uprising, Odhikar says 29 custodial deaths occurred under the interim government, followed by two more under the current BNP government between February and June this year.
The Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) also reported continued deaths in police and prison custody in its latest monthly human rights review, suggesting the problem remains unresolved despite repeated commitments to reform.
Human rights advocates argue that public attention often centres on those who die in custody, while survivors continue to bear long-term physical and psychological trauma.
Imtiaz Hossain Rocky, who survived custodial torture in 2014, said obtaining justice required more than a decade of legal proceedings even under the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act.
Speaking at a discussion marking the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, he said victims often face lengthy legal battles before accountability is achieved.
Bangladesh’s Constitution guarantees the right to life, personal liberty and freedom from torture.
The country ratified the UN Convention Against Torture in 1998, enacted the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act in 2013 and signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) in 2025.
Yet rights groups argue that implementation remains weak because of delays in investigations, limited independence of inquiry mechanisms, lengthy court proceedings and inadequate protection for victims and witnesses.
Supreme Court lawyer Ishrat Hasan said the continued occurrence of custodial deaths points to a failure of enforcement rather than a lack of legislation.
“The law exists on paper, but implementation remains weak,” she said, stressing the need for independent investigations, speedy trials and accountability whenever a person dies in state custody.
Rights groups also argue that investigations should examine the entire period of detention -- not merely the post-mortem report -- including interrogation procedures, medical treatment, access to lawyers and family members, CCTV footage and custody records.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman warned that the persistence of custodial torture and deaths suggests authoritarian practices continue to survive within parts of the state machinery despite political change.
“In many cases, what has changed is not the system but merely the people in power,” he said, cautioning that unless the government demonstrates zero tolerance for custodial abuse and establishes genuinely independent accountability mechanisms, public confidence in law enforcement and the justice system will remain fragile.
