Patient ‘tortured to death’ at Savar rehab

A patient of a drug rehabilitation centre in Savar died after he had been tortured there, alleged the victim's family.

Jahangir Mia (30) from Savar's Bank Colony was admitted to nearby "New Ador" on Thursday, his brother Manik told The Daily Star.

"Around noon today [yesterday], the rehab centre managing director Ariful Islam Jewel told me that my brother was taken to Enam Medical College Hospital following sickness," said Manik.

"When we arrived at the hospital, we heard that Zahangir died," he added.

Dr Merazur Rehan, emergency medical officer of the hospital, said Zahangir was brought dead.

Manik said, "We found multiple injury marks on the body."

Jahangir was beaten to death hours after he was admitted to the rehabilitation centre, alleged Manik. "I will file a murder case against the rehab centre officials," he said.

The body bore injury marks on different parts including face, head and neck, said Moniruzzaman, sub-inspector of Savar Model Police Station. "He [Jahangir] might have died at night," said the SI.

"Primarily we suspect he was tortured to death," said Officer-in-Charge AFM Sayeed of the police station.

Police sent the body to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

"We are trying to arrest Jewel, one of the owners of the centre, who has been on the run since the incident," said SI Moniruzzaman.

Filing of a murder case with the police station was underway last evening.

During a visit to the rehabilitation centre, this correspondent found only two people -- Labib (22) and Arif (35) -- who said they work there but once they were patients at the centre.

About Zahangir's death, Labib said he might have died on Thursday night. He said he did not know further details.