Human rights activists on Sunday called for the establishment of hotlines to support victims of custodial torture during the regime of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The call was made during a discussion titled 鈥楥ustodial Torture and Liability: Impediments and Remedies,鈥� organised by the Bangladesh Legal Aid Services Trust at Biswa Sahitya Kendra in Dhaka.
At the discussion, Supreme Court lawyers, physicians, rights activists, and journalists called for stronger measures to prevent custodial torture.
They highlighted the custodial torture of students and people from July 1 to August 5 during the student-led uprising movement that overthrew the Awami League government.
The participants stressed the need for effective enforcement of the Custody Torture and Death (Prevention) Act 2013 and creating awareness among the public about the law, which aims to protect detainees鈥� rights and provide legal avenues for redress.
The event marked the fourth anniversary of the landmark lower court verdict in the custodial death case of Ishtiaque Hossain Jonny, an Urdu-speaking citizen who was tortured to death at the Pallabi police station on September 9, 2014.
The court鈥檚 verdict, issued on September 9, 2020, sentenced then Pallabi police station sub-inspector Zahidur Rahman Khan and assistant sub-inspectors Kamruzzaman Mintu and Rashedul Hasan to life imprisonment and two police informers for seven years鈥� imprisonment for the killing of the youth.
The case remains pending with the High Court.
Medical officer Mostaq Ahmed from Dhaka Medical College鈥檚 emergency unit noted that while 20 per cent of custodial torture survivors recovered, the majority suffered lasting psychological trauma.
Rights lawyer Sara Hossain underscored the need for providing financial assistance in addition to legal support to victims of custodial torture.
Additional attorney general Aneek R Haque urged legal aid providers to bring public interest cases before the Supreme Court during the interim government's tenure, offering support from the Attorney General鈥檚 Office.
Other speakers included lawyers ZI Khan Panna, Md Abu Tayob, rights activist Nur Khan Liton, East West University law student Famiya Sagor Toshami and Jonny鈥檚 brother Imtiaz Hossain Rocky.
The discussion was moderated by Supreme Court lawyer Abdullah Al Noman.