Who will rein in political thugs?

Unchecked political power has long been the bane of modern Bangladesh as it spread its tentacles in every sector of society. From corruption to crimes to abuse of authority to the erosion of all public institutions, its influence has been far-reaching and destabilising. The brutal murder of Saiful Islam Russel in a so-called torture cell in Dhaka's South Keraniganj area cannot be seen in isolation from this trend as it emboldens political elements to act with impunity, regardless of the cost.

Our report on the murder carries shocking details provided by Russel's family who have been living in fear even since videos of the incident went viral, forcing police to take action. Russel allegedly died after hours of excruciating torture by the now-sacked Swechchhasebak League leader Aftab Uddin Rabbi and his cronies. As per Russel's wife, on January 10, after learning that he was being held in Rabbi's "torture-cell-cum-office," she went there to find him severely beaten and covered in blood. She pleaded with Rabbi to take her husband to hospital, but he demanded Tk 20 lakh first. Her phone was then confiscated so that she could not seek help. Later, an unconscious Russel was carried home in a gunny sack, and a doctor called in by his torturers declared him dead.

According to locals, Rabbi, whose father and uncle are both Awami League leaders, built a criminal network and is particularly known for extorting traders and torturing anyone who refuses to obey him. Unsurprisingly, his influence extended to local police officers, some of whom frequented his office. Against this backdrop, can his party—which expelled him after the torture footage came out but refused to accept responsibility for his actions—really absolve itself considering that he drew strength from his political link-ups? Over the years, we have had countless reports on political thugs committing all sorts of crimes and even running torture cells, and only when something blows up in their face do their parties spring into action, but only to save their reputation.

That's not accountability—it's PR crisis management 101. And it's not enough. The political leadership must address why individuals like Rabbi feel emboldened to commit such crimes and often get away without punishment. The relevant authorities also must ensure that Russel's murderers are properly investigated and brought to justice, and that his family is given necessary protection. The harrowing murder has shocked the entire nation. The authorities must take action to prevent a repeat of such crimes.