A local leader of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, Touhidul Islam (40), died hours after being detained from his home in Cumilla by individuals claiming to be members of joint forces. Family members and medical professionals allege that he succumbed to injuries consistent with severe physical abuse.
Touhidul, the convener of Jubo Dal's Panchthubi Union unit in Cumilla’s Sadar Upazila, was reportedly taken from his residence early Friday morning.
His brother, Abul Kalam Azad Tipu, recounted the ordeal, “At around 2:30 am, three military vehicles and a red car arrived at our home. Armed personnel, some in uniform and others in plain clothes, accused my brother of possessing weapons and conducted a forceful search. Despite our denial, they took him away.”
The family attempted to locate him at local police stations but received no information until noon on Friday. “Kotwali Model Police Station’ Sub-Inspector Morshed informed us that my brother was found in the Gomti Bilash area and taken to Cumilla Medical College Hospital. When we arrived, we found his lifeless body with visible signs of torture,” Azad said.
Sub-Inspector Morshed stated that Touhidul was alive when handed over by the military. “We picked him up from the Gomti Bilash area. He seemed unwell, so we rushed him to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead,” he said.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle), Mohammad Saiful Malik, noted that Touhidul showed signs of illness during his transfer. “The army personnel handed him over to us while he appeared weak. His cause of death will be determined after the postmortem. We are investigating the incident, but no formal complaint has been filed by the family yet,” he added.
Touhidul’s family has strongly denied any allegations of criminal involvement. “My brother was a dedicated political activist and an honest individual who contributed significantly to his party. Why was he treated this way?” Azad questioned, demanding a thorough investigation.
Anwarul Haque, convener of the Cumilla South District Jubo Dal, also condemned the incident. “Touhidul was a committed and non-violent leader. If there were any allegations, legal actions should have been taken. This suspicious and tragic death demands a transparent investigation,” he said. The family is now awaiting the autopsy report to clarify the cause of death.