Human rights situation in Bangladesh has not improved

c. Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and related torture

Although the country’s constitution and laws prohibit torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, local and international human rights organizations have said members of law enforcement agencies have been involved in such practices.

Human rights organizations have alleged that many cases of torture take place in the custody of law enforcement agencies. Some victims were reported to have been harassed and threatened after filing complaints under the Torture and Custodial (Prevention) Act. And fearing retaliation, some have withdrawn their complaints.

According to several organizations, law enforcement officers resort to torture to extract information from alleged terrorists and members of opposition political parties. The organizations also claim that members of law enforcement agencies have been involved in widespread and regular acts of torture. It has occasionally resulted in death.

According to civil society and media reports, impunity is a major problem among law enforcement agencies. The politicization of crime and corruption and the lack of independent accountability mechanisms contribute to impunity. The police is supposed to conduct an internal investigation into significant incidents of torture. But civil society organizations complain that their investigation methods are not impartial.

Conditions in prisons and detention centers are poor and life-threatening at the same time. Because they are overcrowded with prisoners, there are not enough facilities. Apart from this, there are incidents of physical violence.

According to human rights group Ask, 77 inmates died in prison between January and September last year. Among them 42 were under trial and 35 accused. Another local human rights organization claims that 94 people died in prison at the same time.