Viral Video Raises Questions Over Custodial Death of Student Leader in Faridpur
Photo Collected
The death of 27-year-old student and local Chhatra League activist Mirza Ishtiaq Ahmed while in police custody has ignited public outrage in Faridpur’s Madhukhali upazila, following the emergence of video footage showing the circumstances of his arrest. The footage, which has circulated widely on social media since last Thursday, raises significant questions regarding the conduct of the Detective Branch (DB) of police during the operation on June 21.
The two-minute and 39-second video captures Ahmed standing outside his home near the Dhaka-Khulna highway when he is intercepted by several plainclothes individuals identified by locals as members of the DB police. The footage shows the men surrounding Ahmed, searching his belongings, and forcing him to hold his ears while standing. At one point, an individual in a white t-shirt appears to strike Ahmed, though another man in a red t-shirt is seen intervening to stop the assault. Moments later, the group calls for additional reinforcements, and a white microbus arrives, carrying more personnel, including women. During the search, one operative is heard claiming to have recovered a bundle of illicit items, though the video suggests the object was located some distance from where Ahmed was standing.
বিজ্ঞাপন
The victim’s mother, Khadija Akter, told the national daily Prothom Alo that the officers conducted a further search of their home following the initial detention. She alleged that the officers demanded money for his release, initially asking for 65,000 taka before subsequently refusing to release him because of his political affiliation. She claims she was later instructed to bring one lakh taka to Faridpur the following morning, only to discover upon her arrival that her son had been transferred to the Faridpur Medical College Hospital, where she was eventually handed his body.
In response to the allegations, Faridpur Superintendent of Police Mohammad Nazrul Islam denied that Ahmed had been tortured. During a press briefing on June 22, the police official maintained that Ahmed was arrested during an anti-narcotics operation and that he fell ill while in custody. According to the police account, he was rushed to the Faridpur General Hospital and subsequently transferred to the medical college hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
বিজ্ঞাপন
The police superintendent attributed the death to a brain hemorrhage, asserting that an initial examination showed no signs of physical abuse. This official narrative, however, has been challenged by local political figures, including members of the Faridpur District BNP, who have condemned the incident as a “murder” and are calling for a transparent, independent investigation to hold those responsible accountable.
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