The High Court has issued a rule asking why Tk50 crore should not be paid as compensation to the family of banned Bangladesh Chhatra League activist Mirza Ishtiaq Ahmed, alias Pranto, who died while in the custody of the Detective Branch (DB) of Faridpur Police.
An High Court bench comprising Justice Khizir Ahmed Chowdhury and Justice Md Ziaul Haque passed the order after a preliminary hearing on a writ petition filed by Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK).
Lawyer Shahin Ahmed represented the petitioner before the court.
According to the petition, a team of the Faridpur District Detective Branch (DB) detained Pranto from Gondardia village in Madhukhali on 20 June with 100 grams of marijuana. He was initially taken to Madhukhali Police Station.
Later, after several other drug-related raids, he was taken to Faridpur and kept in DB custody.
The family later received information that Pranto had died at Faridpur Medical College Hospital. His relatives alleged that he was tortured in police custody.
Pranto, son of Mirza Eskander of Gondardia area under Madhukhali Municipality, was a student of Faridpur Law College.
Police, however, claimed that Pranto fell ill while in custody and was taken to the hospital, where he died on 21 June while undergoing treatment.
