Jalil tells of torture

Awami League (AL) General Secretary Abdul Jalil yesterday alleged in parliament excruciating torture on him by the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) after 1/11, and called for a parliamentary probe into the matter.
He demanded that those responsible be meted out exemplary punishment.
He also said operations of the intelligence agency be restricted to the armed forces so that people are not subjected to their “torture” anymore.
Visibly seething with anger, the AL leader made the remarks during discussions on thanksgiving motion on the president's address.
He also said the government should have the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) chairman dismissed immediately for being 'partial' in the drive against graft.
“He [ACC boss] asked for my wealth accounts, but did not bother for those of Syed Iskander [Khaleda Zia's brother], a plunderer of public money," he added.
Referring to the DGFI personnel, Jalil said they “humiliate politicians just for kicks”.
He said he would soon write to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, seeking an end to the “DGFI cruelties”.
Describing what followed his arrest on May 28, 2007, the former commerce minister said, “After picking me from my office, the DGFI men blindfolded me and drove me to an unspecified place. There, they tortured me gruesomely for five days at a stretch--all in the name of questioning.
"During interrogations, they made a CD exploiting camera tricks. They released the CD to ruin my reputation at home and abroad and to cause misunderstandings between me and Sheikh Hasina whom I see as a sister and respect.”
Challenging the intelligence outfit to prove any allegation against him, he said, “They did not show me the respect I deserve as a citizen, a former lawmaker and a minister, and above all, as a freedom fighter.”
Besides Jalil, ruling party lawmakers Joynal Abedin, Nazrul Islam, Shafiqur Rahman and Abdul Mannan took part in the second day's discussions on the thanksgiving note.