{{Short description|Secret interrogation cells in Bangladesh}} {{Not to be confused|Taskforce for Interrogation Cell|Aynaghar}} '''Joint Interrogation Cell''' is a secret interrogation cell in Bangladesh. It is located inside Kochukhet of Dhaka Cantonment. Joint Interrogation Cell and Taskforce for Interrogation Cell are two main cells that torture detainees in Bangladesh.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 June 2009 |title=Bangladesh Govt Urged To Criminalise Torture |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0906/S00357/bangladesh-govt-urged-to-criminalise-torture.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422201104/https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0906/S00357/bangladesh-govt-urged-to-criminalise-torture.htm |archive-date=22 April 2023 |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=Scoop News |quote=There are temporarily created cells like the Joint Interrogation Cell (JIC) and the Task Force for Interrogation (TFI) Cell and they are notorious for their brutality.}}</ref>
There is another Joint Interrogation Cell at the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department where Lutfozzaman Babar was interrogated.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Joint cell to quiz Babar |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/joint-cell-to-quiz-babar |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=Bdnews24.com |language=en}}</ref>
==History== The facilities for the Joint Interrogation Cell used during the Bangladesh Liberation War by Pakistan Army to torture suspects and closed after the Independence of Bangladesh.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=BonikBarta |title=I was targeted for writing on BDR killings – Hasinur Rahman |url=https://bonikbarta.net/home/news_description/396101/www.combank.net.bd |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=I was targeted for writing on BDR killings – Hasinur Rahman |language=en}}</ref>
Joint Interrogation Cell located inside Kochukhet of Dhaka Cantonment were first used in Independent Bangladesh by the Carataker Government led by Fakhruddin Ahmed and Chief of Amr Staff Moeen U Ahmed in 2007 and was continued by the Awami League government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since 2009.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Hasan |first=Mahmudul |date=2024-08-30 |title=Secret prison: Where just staying alive was intolerably painful |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/bjmdh9ibzk |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=Prothomalo |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Another secret detention and interrogation facility, the Taskforce for Interrogation Cell, is located inside the headquarters of Rapid Action Battalion.<ref name=":1" /> Beside the Joint Interrogation Cell is the secret prison Aynaghor.<ref name=":0" /> Several British citizens have been detained at the cells.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cobain |first=Ian |last2=Karim |first2=Fariha |date=2011-01-17 |title=UK linked to notorious Bangladesh torture centre |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jan/17/uk-link-bangladesh-torture-centre |access-date=2024-08-31 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
In 2007, Tasneem Khalil was interrogated and tortured at the Joint Interrogation Cell after writing about extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-02-14 |title=Bangladesh: Tortured Journalist Describes Surviving Military Beatings {{!}} Human Rights Watch |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2008/02/14/bangladesh-tortured-journalist-describes-surviving-military-beatings |access-date=2024-08-31 |language=en}}</ref>
The Ministry of Home Affairs, under the Fakhruddin Ahmed led caretaker government, issued a statement on 8 August 2008 to the Human Rights Watch regarding their 2007 country report on Bangladesh.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=8 August 2008 |title=Response from the Bangladesh Government |url=https://www.hrw.org/legacy/pub/2008/asia/Response_from_Bangladesh_gov0808.pdf |access-date=30 August 2024 |website=Human Rights Watch}}</ref> The statement denied allegations that the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence tortured Professor M. Anwar Hossain and journalist Tasneem Khalil said since it does not have its own interrogation facilities it used the Joint Interrogation Cell in cooperation with other security forces.<ref name=":2" />
Brigadier General Abdur Rahim and Brigadier General Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury, former director generals of National Security Intelligence, were interrogated at the Joint Interrogation Cell about the 2004 arms and ammunition haul in Chittagong.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=TFI starts grilling Rahim |url=https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/tfi-starts-grilling-rahim |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=Bdnews24.com |language=en}}</ref> They were later shifted to the Taskforce for Interrogation Cell.<ref name=":3" />
In 2012, a parliamentary committee led by Rashed Khan Menon recommended to end Directorate General of Forces Intelligence in domestic politics and closing the interrogation cells of the unit.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2012-02-07 |title=Keep DGFI away from politics |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-221435 |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> It blamed top security officials from the Army and Police for torture of academics from the University of Dhaka by the caretaker government.<ref name=":4" />
In 2024, after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina led Awami League government, security forces destroyed this along with other secret detention centers.<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 June 2025 |title='Rab destroyed secret detention centres post August 5' |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/rab-destroyed-secret-detention-centres-post-august-5-3912666 |access-date=6 June 2025 |work=The Daily Star}}</ref>
== See also == *Human rights in Bangladesh *Taskforce for Interrogation Cell *Aynaghor *Guest room (Bangladesh)
== Past detainees ==
* Tarique Rahman<ref name=":0" /> * Obaidul Quader<ref name=":0" /> * Sheikh Selim<ref name=":0" /> * Hasinur Rahman<ref name=":0" /> * Mufti Hannan<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-08-23 |title=Such brutality must end |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/opinion/Such-brutality-must-end |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=Prothomalo |language=en}}</ref> * Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury<ref name=":3" /> * Abdur Rahim<ref name=":3" /> * Muhammad Jasimuddin Rahmani<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 August 2013 |title=Ansarullah chief remanded |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/laws-rights/34639/ansarullah-chief-remanded |access-date=30 August 2024 |work=Dhaka Tribune}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
Category:Organisations based in Dhaka Category:Government agencies of Bangladesh Category:Bangladeshi intelligence agencies Category:Bangladesh Police