To say that we are appalled by the killing of a Jubo Dal leader while in custody, where he was picked up over a false allegation, would be an understatement.
Much has been discussed about the previous government’s penchant for enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, with the interim government and political parties being unanimous in their agreement that the newly liberated Bangladesh does not have a place for such covert abuses of rights -- however, this recent killing now casts fresh doubt on whether we truly are far from those dark days.
According to a recent Dhaka Tribune story on the killing, Jubo Dal leader Md Touhidul Islam died after being detained by joint forces in Comilla late at night, while the deceased’s family members claim he succumbed to inhumane torture with medical professionals noting visible marks of abuse on his body. Family members have gone on record stating that Touhidul was picked up by members of the Army and not by the police based on false allegations.
Bangladesh, as things stand, is already undergoing a severe crisis in law and order, with the army being given magistracy powers to make up for the void in our police force. Given just how dire the situation has been due to the sharp rise in crimes of varying scope, one wonders why our current law enforcement would find it appropriate to begin chasing individuals based on unfounded allegations, and that is completely setting aside the gross violation of human rights that the deceased was subjected to while in custody.
It is good to know that at least one army camp commander has been withdrawn following the killing, but that is not enough. If the New Bangladesh had one thing that we all recognized as a non-negotiable it is this: This kind of abuse and torture must come to an end.
