NHRC condemns keeping BNP leader in cuffs during mother's funeral

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has criticised the authorities concerned for having a BNP leader, arrested over a ghost case, attend his mother's funeral in handcuffs and shackles in Gazipur.

Ali Azam was arrested on 2 December in a case over attacks on an office of the ruling Awami League party in Kaliakair upazila, Gazipur on 29 November, but in media statements the plaintiff later claimed to have no knowledge about the case.

Ali Azam, the president of the BNP unit in Boali union, Gazipur, requested the district administrator to release him on parole to attend the funeral rites of his mother who died on 18 December from old-age-complications, read a press release issued Thursday (22 December) by the commission.

He was granted a three-hour parole but, contrary to legal provisions, was kept in handcuffs and shackles, and despite pleas to remove those during the funeral prayer, the police allegedly did not budge.

The commission thinks that keeping a prisoner in handcuffs and shackles after being released on parole to attend his mother's funeral is not only inhumane but also against the constitution and fundamental human rights of Bangladesh.

As per the Article 35 of the Constitution, a person cannot be subjected to any form of sufferings or cruel, inhumane and humiliating treatment before the judges hand down sentences or declare convictions, and Ali Azam was squarely denied this provision, the commission noted.

NHRC called upon authorities concerned to take appropriate legal action against those involved in this incident and to be careful in taking appropriate steps in such cases in the future to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.