Accountability must be ensured

We are disturbed by reports that Nahid Islam, a key organiser of the movement, was allegedly abducted and tortured mentally and physically until he lost consciousness. In comments made to The Daily Star, Nahid stated that he was picked up in the early hours of Saturday from a house in Sabujganj by at least 25 men in plainclothes. Blindfolded and handcuffed, he was then taken to a room where he was interrogated repeatedly about his involvement in the student movement and tortured. His body bore deep bruises sustained in his arm and legs, as confirmed by this daily. The torture was so severe, claimed Nahid, he lost his senses at one point.

Once he regained consciousness, he found himself dumped under a bridge in Purbachal. The inevitable question is: who abducted and tortured him so? Once his family came to know that their son had been picked up, they went to the office of the Detective Branch of police, but they were not given any answers. Then they went to Khilgaon Police Station to file a GD, but there too the police did not take the matter into cognizance. When contacted by this daily, the police have reiterated that they have no information about Nahid having been picked up.

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How are we to interpret this incident, at a time when the government wants to accommodate the demands of the protesters? Nahid's family and fellow protesters had earlier alleged that Nahid was picked up as he was against the idea of holding a dialogue with the government prior to the Appellate Division verdict. This is a serious accusation of human rights abuse, to dispel which, the government must conduct a thorough investigation into who did abduct him claiming to be members of law enforcement. If we accept, as we would like to, the version given by law enforcers, then isn't the obvious step to find out who the culprits are? The fact that Khilgaon Police Station refused to record the GD of Nahid's parents opens up many uncomfortable question.

We condemn the alleged abduction and torture of Nahid, and urge the government to ensure, at the very least, security for the student activists and due process of law during any questioning of student protesters in the future. We have seen in the past how activists and dissenters have been arbitrarily and illegally detained, beaten and harassed by various state machineries in the aftermath of previous student movements. If the government is to restore people's confidence in the rule of law, the government must prioritise and protect human rights, and ensure that law enforcement agencies do not carry out any extra-judicial acts in the name of maintaining law and order.

The Supreme Court on Sunday stated that it expects the judicial probe commission, led by a High Court judge, to unearth the reasons behind the deaths of the students. We hope that any excess of state machineries and ruling party will also be investigated and due action taken against the perpetrators.

This editorial was published in print on July ­23, 2024. Owing to the internet shutdown from the evening of July 18 to July 23, it was uploaded online on July 24, 2024.