In reference to custodial death, I strongly urge that the court immediately intervene in the matter and appoint an independent investigating authority to enquire into the incident which have caused an untimely death of a man held in judicial custody recently. Particularly, an inquiry should be conducted to find under which circumstances the court granted remand of the victim without any scrutiny about the police conduct. If the abuse of power by the police or judiciary is proven in this case, strong action must be taken against those responsible. The untimely death on Friday of a detained ward commissioner of the Dhaka City Corporation and leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's city unit, Mohammed Quayyum Khan, once again raises questions regarding this military-controlled interim government's handling and treatment of those taken into custody during its tenure. Only 45 years of age at the time of his death, Quayyum fainted in a toilet at the Dhaka Central Jail on Friday morning, was rushed to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital and declared dead by the doctors soon after his admission. Family members of the deceased ward commissioner as well as senior members of the BNP have reportedly claimed that Quayyum had been suffering from heart diseases and that his death resulted from a lack of treatment in jail.
I also demand that an independent judicial body inquire into the negligence committed by the concerned authority. If it is proven that the concerned authorities have committed negligence and the executive magistrate has violated the procedure of law, legal action must be taken against the officers responsible and must give adequate compensation to the victim's family.
Gopal Sengupta
Canada
New Age requests readers to send letters and opinions to letters@newagebd.com, newage.feedback@gmail.com or 'Feedback', Holiday Building, 30 Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. All submissions are subject to editing. Letters must be signed and include valid mailing address, e-mail address and telephone number (if any).
Ward commissioner's death
raises questions
Although the jail authorities have denied the allegations made by Quayyum's family and colleagues and have claimed that he had been receiving treatment for his heart problems from the jail doctors, the possibility that the young ward commissioner's life could have been saved had he been provided better treatment cannot be dismissed. Also, the statement made by the BNP secretary-general, Khandoker Delwar Hossain, in reaction to Quayyum's passing away in which he once again brought up the issue of torture of people in custody cannot be ignored. Although the perception that systematic torture has been carried out on many of those taken into custody during the tenure of this regime has existed for some time, direct allegations of torture was first made by Tarique Rahman, a joint secretary-general of the BNP and son of former prime minister, Khaleda Zia, about a month back. Soon afterwards, allegations of harassment and torture were also made by a Dhaka University teacher who had been detained following the campus protests in August. By bringing up the issue of torture once again, the BNP secretary-general appears to have suggested that Quayyum's death may have resulted from torture while in custody, a very serious allegation that would be highly worrying if true.
Hence, it is extremely important that the government look into the death of the ward commissioner and make an honest assessment of why he died at such a young age. This is particularly important because the deceased was an elected office-holder against whom there appears to not have been any cases filed or complaints lodged, even though he was kept detained in custody for over a year. Also, we ask this military-controlled government once again to look into the matter of harassment and torture of those is custody, which not only breaches every human rights instrument but also directly violates our constitution, and to immediately cease such activities if the allegations are found to be true. Lastly, we urge the government to provide proper medical care to those in custody, many of whom are suffering from serious diseases and illnesses. While the government must go ahead with the investigations into and trials of those against whom it has evidence of corruption and other wrongdoings, it must at the same time ensure that due process is maintained and that the basic fundamental rights of those in custody are guaranteed at all times.
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Sign the Petition : Release the Arrested University Teachers Immediately : An Appeal to the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh
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Mukto-Mona Celebrates 5th Anniversary
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MM Project : Grand assembly of local freedom fighters at Raumari
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