Twenty-nine persons, tortured allegedly by the ruling coalition activists, law enforcers and members of army during Operation Clean Heart, narrating their experiences further said they were so dreadfully treated that they were still far from being fit, mentally and physically.

They were speaking on the opening session of a two-day seminar, Together Against Torture, being held on the occasion of UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and Women's Voice jointly organised the seminar at the Institution of Engineers, Bangla-desh.

"Don't ask me to describe the unnerving pains. I'm fearful to disclose it not for my own security, but for the family," said former Reuters stringer Enamul Haq Chowdhury, who was taken into custody for allegedly misquoting the home minister in his story on a bomb incident last year.

Chowdhury said he was still suffering from the injuries inflicted on him by police during interrogation.

"A death warrant still hangs on me," he claimed in a choked voice, without giving further details.

Rape victim Shiuly of Puthia in Rajshahi alleged that ruling alliance activist Harun raped her on April 19 last year. "He is at large," she said, but gave little details for fear of further reprisal.

"Activists of Jatyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) are now teasing me on my way to school," said Fahima, sister of Mahima, who committed suicide on February 19 after being raped by JCD activists at Rajshahi.

Describing his torture in police custody, Saleem Samad, Bangladesh representative of the Reporters sans frontières, said he was tortured at the instruction of top government officials.

He was arrested on charge of helping two foreign journalists who came to Bangladesh clandestinely.

Reza Monirul Islam, a primary school teacher of Rajshahi, said army men picked him without any grounds and subjected him to electric shocks in their camp during the joint drive.

Eighteen-year-old Rahmatullah suffered paralysis following alleged army torture at Sherpur stadium during the joint drive.

He was taken into custody while he was going to his shop and was applied electric shock for three days, but he did not know why.

The armed forces were called out to support the law-enforcement agencies from October 16, 2002 to January 9 this year to curb crime.

While describing Trisha's suicide in Gaibandha, her father Abdus Sattar said she preferred jumping to death in a pond to standing insults by local youths.

Khosbar, who was crippled in an attack in Puthia last year by a gang allegedly led by BNP leader Nadim Mostafa, said his fault was that he campaigned for the Awami League (AL) candidate.