Forty Patients Escape Brahmanbaria Drug Rehabilitation Center Following Custodial Death Allegations
Photo Collected
BRAHMANBARIA — Allegations of fatal abuse have emerged against the management of a drug rehabilitation center in Brahmanbaria, sparking a chaotic mass escape of patients from the facility.
The incident occurred Wednesday at Proyash, a rehabilitation center situated near the Phulbaria bus stand in the district town. Authorities confirmed that approximately 40 patients fled the premises following reports of the death of 29-year-old patient Md. Forkan.
Forkan, a Qatar expatriate from Kurighar village in Nabinagar Upazila, had been admitted to the facility six months after returning to Bangladesh. His brother-in-law, Emon Hossain, alleged that Forkan died after being subjected to physical torture by the center’s staff just five days into his treatment. According to Hossain, staff members transported Forkan to a hospital on Tuesday evening, where he was declared dead. The family subsequently contacted the national emergency service, 999, prompting a police response.
Proyash director Promod Barman denied the accusations of foul play, asserting that Forkan died due to a sudden illness. Barman stated that the center was vandalized by local residents following the death, which led to the mass escape of the patients. He confirmed that the facility is currently devoid of any inpatients.
Sub-Inspector Sanjib Kumar Pal of Brahmanbaria Sadar Police Station stated that no visible signs of trauma were observed on the victim’s body during the initial assessment. He noted that the exact cause of death will be determined following the completion of an autopsy.
The escape, which was captured on video, showed patients jumping from the windows of the third-floor facility onto the roof of an adjacent building to flee. This incident has reignited public scrutiny regarding the center, which is reportedly managed by a group of eight to ten individuals, including Rubel Haque and Promod Barman.
The facility has faced prior controversy; in August 2014, it was accused of involvement in the death of a 30-year-old man, Atikul Islam, whose body was allegedly abandoned at the Brahmanbaria General Hospital. Barman claimed to have no knowledge of that incident.
Sajedul Hasan, deputy director of the Department of Narcotics Control, stated that Proyash is one of six authorized rehabilitation centers in the district. He assured that the department conducts monthly inspections and that a thorough investigation into the current allegations will be carried out by law enforcement.
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