Today, on 16 February 2025, members of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), based in Geneva, Switzerland, visited Odhikar. OMCT works with 200 member organisations to end torture and ill-treatment, assist victims, and protect human rights defenders at risk wherever they are. Members of the OMCT, including Odhikar, make up the largest global group actively standing up to torture in over 90 countries.
Since it was founded in 1994, Odhikar has been vocal against torture, extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in Bangladesh. Victims of torture, Dr. Nicole Bürli and Amir Salimi of OMCT, Odhikar’s Secretary Dr. Saira Rahman Khan, Director ASM Nasiruddin Elan, Senior Researcher Taskin Fahmina, and human rights defenders attended the session today.
Senior Researcher Taskin Fahmina presented Odhikar’s background and work related to torture. According to Odhikar’s statistics, from 2009 to 2024, a total of 189 persons were reportedly tortured to death. However, Taskin stated that this was just the tip of the iceberg. Afterwards, Dr. Nicole Bürli and Amir Salimi spoke to victims and families about their experiences with torture, disappearance, unlawful detention and gross violation of human rights faced while in custody. The non-implementation of Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act, 2013, is one of the main reasons behind the continued use of torture by law enforcement agencies.
On 18 July 2017, Md. Shahjalal (Khulna) was detained by the police under suspicion of being involved in a mugging. He was brutally tortured in custody and his eyes were gouged out. Md. Arif Billah (Dhaka) was a victim of enforced disappearance and was taken into custody at the Detective Branch of police on 23 August 2018. There, he was forced to film a (false) confessional statement, and when he refused, he was made to lay on the floor, stomped and beaten mercilessly until he lost consciousness. His left arm has now lost much of its functionality due to the torture he endured. Azizul Hoque Islamabadi (Chattogram) was arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on 11 April 2021. He faced brutal conditions in prison, including being starved, tortured, deprived of basic hygiene and healthcare, and crammed into crowded, tiny holding cells. Md. Saiful Islam (Chattogram) was arrested by the police on 16 June 2021. He faced extreme torture and kneecapping in custody, leading to the eventual amputation of one of his legs on 19 June.
Victims of torture demand justice, adequate medical care, and compensation from the state, and have hopes of police, judiciary, and prison reform. The discussion also underscored the severe human rights violations committed by RAB and the need for its disbandment to alleviate torture.
