Critically Ill Former Politician Remains Handcuffed to Hospital ICU Bed Amid Human Rights Concerns
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Mizanur Rahman, a former vice-chairman of Patuakhali Sadar Upazila, has been tethered to a hospital bed by handcuffs for over a month while receiving life-support treatment at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) Intensive Care Unit. Rahman, 48, has been in the ICU since June 14 following a severe deterioration in his health while in custody at Kashimpur Central Jail.
A photograph circulating on social media recently captured the stark reality of his condition: Rahman, unconscious and connected to ventilators and medical monitors, is seen with his right hand shackled to the hospital bed frame. His wife, Salma Jahan, confirmed the authenticity of the image, noting that the restraints were only removed last week after physicians intervened and emphasized that his critical state rendered him incapable of movement, let alone escape.
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Rahman, a member of the now-prohibited Awami League’s Patuakhali district committee, was arrested last September in connection with a murder case. Despite facing multiple cases, his family maintains that he remains in a precarious medical state, with doctors frequently warning relatives to prepare for the worst. Medical staff at the ICU described the continued use of handcuffs as inhumane, noting that the restraints hampered essential clinical procedures, such as the insertion of intravenous lines, and raised concerns regarding hygiene.
Despite these medical protests, police officers stationed outside the ICU stated they were merely following orders from superiors. According to the Inspector General of Prisons, Brigadier General Syed Md. Motahar Hossain, while the use of handcuffs is intended to prevent escape, authorities do not advocate for shackling terminally ill patients. However, he acknowledged that the prison system lacks clear guidelines, often leaving security personnel in a difficult position regarding the management of hospitalized inmates.
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The incident has reignited a broader debate over the legality and ethics of restraining incarcerated patients. Legal experts point to a 2018 High Court ruling that cautioned against the abuse of handcuffs, emphasizing that under the Bengal Police Regulation, such measures should only be used when absolutely necessary to prevent flight risk or violence.
While legal notices and writ petitions have been filed in recent years—most notably by Supreme Court lawyers—to demand a clear government policy on the use of handcuffs and leg irons for hospitalized prisoners, no such framework has been finalized. As Rahman’s family maintains a vigil outside the ICU, the case underscores a persistent conflict between institutional security protocols and the fundamental human rights of the critically ill.
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