A case has been filed against 14 police officers for allegedly torturing a college student who participated in the anti-discrimination student movement in Chittagong. The case was filed by Nazrul Islam, the elder brother of the victim, in the Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Court, presided over by Judge Md. Zakir Hossain. The victim, Nazmul Hossain, is a fourth-year Zoology student at Chittagong Government City College.
According to the complaint, Nazmul was arrested and tortured at Baklia Police Station for his involvement in the anti-discrimination movement. After the torture, before taking him to the hospital, the bodyguard of the officer-in-charge (OC) of the station, Constable Md. Ilyas, threatened to shoot Nazmul, saying, “He’s with the Shibir, part of the movement. I’ll shoot him right here before taking him to the hospital.” Ilyas then fetched a shotgun and pointed it at Nazmul.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, Swaroop Kanti Nath, told Prothom Alo that the court, after hearing the case, ordered the police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate the matter, with a directive to appoint a police officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police for the investigation. The court also ordered the accused to explain within 14 days why security should not be provided to Nazmul, Nazrul, and their family.
The accused include former Deputy Commissioner of City Police (South) Mostafizur Rahman, Assistant Commissioner (Kotwali Zone) Atnu Chakraborty, former Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Obaidul Haque, and several other officers from Baklia and Kotwali police stations.
The complaint detailed that Nazmul participated in the anti-discrimination protest in the city’s Baklia New Bridge area on July 18. The police dispersed the protesters using tear gas and batons, after which Nazmul was arrested and beaten with iron rods and sticks. Despite Nazmul’s repeated claims that he was not affiliated with any political group, the police labeled him as a member of the Islami Chhatra Shibir and continued to beat him. He was then taken to Chandgaon Police Station, where the torture continued. After being moved to Kotwali Police Station, Nazmul was further beaten, resulting in severe bruises and injuries, including bleeding from his eye. He eventually lost consciousness and woke up in Andarkilla General Hospital. The doctors advised transferring him to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, but the police took him back to Baklia Police Station instead, where the torture resumed.
Nazmul’s elder brother, Nazrul, arrived at the Baklia Police Station and witnessed Constable Ilyas threatening to kill Nazmul instead of taking him to the hospital. Later that night, as Nazmul’s condition worsened, he was finally admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital. After 14 days of detention, Nazmul was released from jail following a case filed by the police against the student protesters.
Nazmul told Prothom Alo, “I’m not involved in any politics. After my arrest, the police kept calling me Shibir and tortured me brutally. I’m still traumatized. I wake up in fear at night, and I’m terrified every time I see the police.”
