“The torture on Quader is an ominous sign for law and order in the country…. The state is responsible for incidents of torture of civilians by law enforcers.”
National Rights Commission Chairman Prof Mizanur Rahman made the comment before the High Court yesterday during the hearing on a suo moto rule over police torture on Abdul Quader.
Law enforcers are accusing people in arms cases by planting arms on them after arrest, he said.
“We should be ashamed of such inhuman acts. We are worried by the action of law enforcers at the cost of people’s rights,” he said.
At this, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam reacted at the top of his voice, saying the whole state is not liable for any incident committed by a few law enforcers.
According to him, Prof Mizanur Rahman made the statement out of emotion.
Alam, however, expressed his gratitude to the journalists for finding out the facts upon which the court passes orders against any injustice.
Prof Mamun Rashid Chowdhury, chairman of biochemistry and molecular biology department at DU, told the court that he has been Quader’s teacher from his honours first year. During the period, he found Quader to be modest.
Quader was never involved in any criminal activities, he added.
He alleged that police did not give Quader any food following the arrest. When Anis, one of Quader’s friends, bought some food for him, a police constable at Khilgaon Police Station asked him not to give him any food.
Prof Mamun added that the constable advised Anis not to visit Quader any further, saying that he might face problem if Helal Uddin, officer-in-charge of the station, comes to know that they are friends.
-With The Daily Star input
