Sacked NCP leader alleges torture during imprisonment

Sacked NCP leader Gazi Sahlahuddin Tanvir yesterday alleged that he was tortured in prison and denied proper medical care while in custody.

He made the allegations at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity in Segunbagicha.

“I was given countless injections. I don’t know what they were,” Tanvir said, claiming he developed a persistent fever in custody.

He said he was later taken to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bogura, where a doctor told him he had suffered a stroke.Prison authorities, however, disputed the diagnosis, he claimed.

Tanvir was arrested in Dhaka’s East Monipur on August 5 in a case filed under the Cyber Security Act over an alleged defamatory Facebook post about the prime minister. A BNP leader filed the case on August 2.

He alleged that he was initially kept in an unhygienic cell with inadequate light, ventilation, electricity and a fan.

He also claimed he was regularly served stale food, causing diarrhoea, and was not given medicines prescribed by doctors.

Bogura District Jail Superintendent Asadur Rahman denied the allegations, saying Tanvir received necessary care and no injections were given to him in jail.

Dhaka Central Jail Jailer Md Sakhawat Hossain also denied allegations that plainclothes men tortured Tanvir while he was being taken back from hospital.