STATEMENT: JMBF Gravely Concerned Over Recent Death of Three Individuals Due to Torture by Law Enforcement Agencies

Paris, France; December 16, 2024: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) strongly condemns the heinous and unlawful acts of torture and killing carried out by law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh, which have resulted in the tragic deaths of three individuals: Rafiqul Islam Dudu, Hazrat Ali, and Atiq Hasan Sardar on December 13, 06, and 03, 2024, respectively. These incidents, which occurred in the first half of December 2024, highlight a disturbing pattern of police, army, and joint force brutality and blatant violations of both national and international human rights standards.

JMBF is horrified by the alleged gross human rights violations committed by law enforcement officers, who are entrusted with the duty of protecting citizens, not causing harm under the present interim government led by Nobel laureate for peace, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yunus. These individuals were subjected to extreme torture and inhumane treatment, leading to their deaths under suspicious circumstances.

Transgender Individual committed Suicide in Nabinagar, Brahmanbaria Due to Mental Stress

On March 25, 2024, Saidul Islam Nayan (26) committed suicide by hanging himself in Darra village of Nabinagar upazila, Brahmanbaria. Nayan was the eldest of three sons of Md. Shariful Islam and Nargis Akhtar from Darra village in the Rasullabad union. It is known that he had been in Saudi Arabia for a long time.

According to family sources, although Nayan was biologically male, his behavior was akin to that of the third gender. Hijras are often ridiculed by locals for their affinity and feminine nature. Locals believe that he may have committed suicide due to social bullying and the inferiority complex associated with being a hijra. The Acting Police Inspector (OC) of Nabinagar Police Station stated that more details will be provided after the investigation.