BNP claims 13 leaders killed in jail in 3 months

The BNP has alleged that torture in prisons is to blame for the death of 13 party leaders in the last three months.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the claim at a press conference at its Naya Paltan central office on Friday.

He said the news of the death of some BNP leaders and activists who are victims of brutal torture in custody is surfacing frequently. “Prison cells have been turned into concentration camps.”

“Overenthusiastic officials have become icons of terror like the Gestapo. Inside each prison, inmates are deprived of all the facilities provided by prison law and subjected to brutal oppression,” he said.

“No treatment is being provided. By employing former Chhatra League hooligans as jail officials, Sheikh Hasina has propelled them to oppress BNP leaders and activists inside prison as well. They violate human rights every moment.”

Rizvi claimed that Manowarul Islam, co-organizing secretary of Lakshmitari Mohipur union BNP of Gangachara upazila of Rangpur, who was in Rangpur jail, was tortured and killed without treatment.”

“Manowarul was picked up by police from his home on January 13. He was held in the police station; he was not sent to court till the next night and subjected to inhumane torture in a horrific manner. He had extensive wounds all over his body, including legs, back and face.”

“Police tortured and killed Manowarul depriving him of treatment. We demand an international investigation into every death in custody,” he added.

He said while Shahjahan Omar was released under the same clause in the same case, hundreds of BNP leaders and activists, including the BNP general secretary, were denied bail due to a conflict with the government.

Rizvi called for immediate unconditional release through the withdrawal of “false cases” filed against BNP activists.