Human rights organizations express concern over deaths in military custody in Bangladesh
Paris: A leading human rights organization has expressed deep concern over the death of a young man in Bangladesh’s Satkhira district, allegedly due to a brutal beating by members of the Bangladeshi army.
The Paris-based human rights organization Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) reported, citing eyewitnesses, that 22-year-old Ismail Hossain was traveling on a motorcycle without a helmet with two friends on January 29 towards the Kakbashia market area in Satkhira.
The rights group further stated that the three encountered an army patrol team near the market, where the soldiers allegedly stopped the motorcycle and brutally beat Hossain, resulting in his death on the spot.
According to JMBF, the patrol team immediately left the area after the incident, causing widespread tension among the local population as the news spread.
The organization said that the victim’s family members and the local community have demanded a fair and impartial investigation, as well as strict punishment for those responsible.
JMBF emphasized that death resulting from torture by army personnel is a grave violation of fundamental human rights as declared by the United Nations and a clear violation of international human rights law.
The rights group further stated that “any incident of extrajudicial violence or death committed by members of law enforcement or security forces is extremely concerning for a democratic state committed to human rights. Such acts not only devastate a family forever but also severely undermine public trust between the state and its citizens.”
Shahnur Islam, the founding president of JMBF, said, “The alleged death of an unarmed young man in Ashashuni raises serious questions about the rule of law and the state of human rights in Bangladesh. Extrajudicial violence by members of law enforcement agencies is completely unacceptable.” “Such incidents not only devastate a single family; they shatter people’s faith in the state. We strongly demand a thorough, impartial, and independent investigation into this death, conducted according to international standards, and that all those responsible be given strict criminal punishment. Without justice, such violence will continue,” he added.
JMBF called upon the United Nations Human Rights Council, international and regional human rights organizations, and all foreign diplomatic missions based in Bangladesh to take appropriate action after a “full and credible investigation” into the incident.
