Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was subjected to inhuman torture while being detained at the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) during the 1/11 government period, International Crimes Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam said on Saturday.
Specific evidence of the torture had been found through testimonies given by multiple witnesses before the tribunal and an impartial investigation, the chief prosecutor told journalists after inspecting the controversial “torture cell”, or JIC, in the afternoon, located at the headquarters of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI).
A joint delegation comprising judges and members of the prosecution team, led by International Crimes Tribunal-1 Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumdar, conducted the on-site inspection to verify the facts in the interest of justice.
Describing his experience of inspecting the “Aynaghar”, Chief Prosecutor Aminul said, “The decision to inspect the ‘Aynaghar’ or JIC was taken to ensure transparency and impartiality in the judicial process. Hundreds of independent citizens were forcibly picked up, unlawfully detained here for years and subjected to medieval torture. Through today’s inspection, we were able to feel, at least to some extent, the horrific and brutal picture of the torture carried out here.”
He further said many important and dissenting figures in the country, including retired Brigadier General Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, had been kept hidden for long periods in the secret detention facility.
“During the 1/11 period, Tarique Rahman was brought to this very room and tortured on the orders of the then military-backed government,” he said.
Chief Prosecutor Aminul strongly urged the government to ensure that no secret detention facility or torture centre is ever established in the country again.
He said that if any citizen commits a crime, they must be brought under the law and made to face a transparent judicial process.
“Extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances must be stopped. Under no circumstances are extrajudicial killings or unnecessary harassment of citizens by law enforcement agencies acceptable,” he said.
‘Inhumane state structure’ and ongoing judicial proceedings
Strongly criticising the rule of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Aminul said, “During the previous Awami League government, a completely inhumane and repressive state was established. Some overzealous and dishonest members of the law enforcement agencies set up these ‘Aynaghar’-like torture cells to implement the malicious objectives of the ruling group.”
He expressed regret that many leaders and activists of opposition political parties and people with dissenting views were forcibly disappeared and kept in these secret facilities, and that many of them remain unaccounted for to this day.
Regarding judicial progress, he said trials in cases involving enforced disappearances and crimes against humanity committed at the TFI and JIC are proceeding in full swing.
Many influential officials allegedly involved in such crimes have already been brought to justice, he said, adding that no one would be spared if an impartial investigation finds them involved.