While the faces of those perpetrating custodial deaths and custodial torture in Bangladesh have changed since Sheikh Hasina's ouster, these heinous crimes continue to occur, according to Odhikar, one of the leading human rights organisations in the country.

"From January 1 to June 30, 2024, six people were subjected to extrajudicial killings. Among them, four died due to torture. Of the four who died from torture, three were killed by police and one by Rab. The two others, one of whom was shot and the other beaten to death, were also killed by police," said its annual human rights report released yesterday.

From January to July 2024, members of law enforcement agencies caused forcible disappearance of 20 people, the report reads.

Among them, allegedly, the Detective Branch (DB) of police were behind the disappearance of nine individuals, the police enforced the disappearance of five, members of other law enforcement agencies in plainclothes caused three enforced disappearances, Rab two, and Rab and DB were jointly behind the disappearance of one person.

One of these victims has not yet returned, said the report.

During the July uprising, 1,581 people, including children, were killed as per estimates by the Students Against Discrimination and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee, while the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs verified 834 deaths as of January 15, 2025.

"From August 9 to December 31, 2024, 12 individuals were reported to have been subjected to extrajudicial killings by law enforcement agencies," the Odhikar report said.

"Of the 12 victims, six were tortured by joint forces, and one died due to police torture. Three people were shot by joint forces, and one was shot by the police. Additionally, one person was beaten and pushed off a bridge by the police," it added.

The report went on to say, "The joint forces consisting of security forces and law enforcement agencies face allegations of conducting operations in plainclothes and being involved in torture and extrajudicial killings."

The report stated that on September 8, 2024, a man named Elahi Sikder died in custody. He had been arrested on September 3 on charges of attacking members of the army. The report quoted doctor Jibitesh Biswas of Gopalganj General Hospital as saying that Elahi Sikder's body had multiple injuries.

On September 10, members of joint forces in Gaibandha arrested Mosharof Hossain Sweet, chairman of Saghata union and president of Awami League's Saghata unit, and his associates Shafiqul Islam and Sohrab Hossain Apel.

Shafiqul later died while undergoing treatment at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, Bogura, and Apel died while undergoing treatment at Gaibandha General Hospital.

"Relatives of Shafiqul and Apel alleged that both men had died due to brutal torture while in the custody of joint forces," said the report.

A total of 83 individuals died in prison in 2024, and 63 of those deaths happened when Sheikh Hasina was in power.

"The authoritarian Sheikh Hasina regime imprisoned many people in order to suppress the political opposition. When the quota reform movement began, the number of inmates increased significantly. The inmates inside overcrowded prisons faced a shortage of food, living space, bathrooms, showers, and access to medical care," said the report.

Several BNP leaders died as prisoners as those associated with opposition parties were deprived of access to medical care, it added.

On January 2, 2024, Kamal Hossain, a BNP leader, died in Bagerhat District Jail. On January 28, another BNP leader named Abdus Sattar died in Satkhira Jail, while on February 8, Monoarul Islam, a BNP leader of Gongachora subdistrict, died in Rangpur Central Jail

On February 14, a 16-year-old teenager named Maruf Ahmed was allegedly tortured to death while imprisoned at Gazipur's Tongi Juvenile Development Centre.

A total of 293 people were killed in political violence throughout the year, and of them 90 died between August 9 and December 31, 2024, the report finds.

"It is to be noted that between August 6 and 8, when there was no government in the country, at least four people were killed and nine injured in political violence," it said.

After the fall of Hasina's government, there have been allegations against leaders and activists of the BNP of attacking Awami League leaders and activists, looting and breaking into their homes, and committing arson, it stated.

"Leaders and activists of BNP are allegedly taking illegal control over markets, fish bazars, shrimp markets, public land sand extraction sites, and other establishments that were being controlled by Awami League leaders as part of an extortion-based political economy," said the Odhikar report.

The report went on to say that BNP and AL have even joined hands in places to take control of sand extraction sites.

The report further stated that leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliated organisations were also accused of attacking and looting the homes of general people and businessmen for refusing to pay bribes, as part of the shifting control over the system of extortion

"The president of Chhatra Dal's Narsingdi district unit is accused of attacking the chambers of the president of the Bar Association of the district. Jubo Dal and Jubo League leaders were accused of jointly attacking and looting the office of the Jugantor's Chattogram Correspondent Abed Amiri. Leaders and activists of Jubo Dal and Krishak Dal attacked a Victory Day celebration of the citizens's platform in Barisal," noted the report.