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The interim government has ordered an urgent investigation into the death of Touhidul Islam, a Jubo Dal leader in Cumilla, Chief Adviser's (CA) Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder said on Saturday.
Police took Touhidul to hospital in Cumilla late Friday night with injuries allegedly caused by security forces after they arrested him from his house early in the morning based on complaints.
The interim government, led by Prof Muhammad Yunus, absolutely condemns any form of custodial torture and murder, Azad said in a statement on behalf of the CA's press wing.
Upholding human rights in every sphere of national life is a core mission of the current government, which includes some of the top rights activists in the country.
The government has set up several commissions to reform the country's criminal justice system. Most of the commissions have submitted their reports.
"The interim government will hold meaningful dialogue with the political parties over these reports in an effort to eradicate every opportunity for human rights abuses in police interrogation, crime management, and judicial procedure," Azad said.
The interim government is committed to implementing these reforms, he said.
An army camp commander was withdrawn following the death of Touhidul, said the Inter Services Public Relation (ISPR) in a statement on Saturday.
Proper steps have been taken to investigate this unexpected and tragic incident, and a high-level committee has been formed to uncover the exact cause of death, it said.
It also said Touhidur, 40, died at Cumilla Medical College Hospital around 12:30 pm on Friday.
He was detained from Adarsha Sadar upazila of Cumilla in an operation of the joint forces around 3am based on specific allegations, said the ISPR.
"If found guilty in the investigation, legal action will be taken against the responsible people as per the army law," it added.
Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir demanded justice for what he claimed was the killing of Touhidul.
On his verified Facebook page on Saturday morning, he posted a photo card with this message, "We demand justice for the murder of Jubo Dal leader Touhidul Islam."
Touhidul was the convener of Jubo Dal's Panchthuri union unit in Cumilla Sadar upazila.
Family members claimed he was tortured to death, as physicians found torture marks on his body.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi slammed the interim government over the "extrajudicial killing" of Touhidul, saying it occurred in the same manner as those that took place during the previous Awami League government.
He also lamented that the incident occurred amid ongoing conspiracies both at home and abroad against the country and the interim government.
"Our fears are growing day by day. A Jubo Dal leader, who was picked up in Cumilla, was returned by law enforcers as dead. Why is this happening during Dr Yunus' tenure?" Rizvi said.
He said Yunus, who is admired by various human rights organisations across the globe, including the Western democratic countries, is also liked by the people of Bangladesh.
"If the various evil deeds and atrocities of the Sheikh Hasina government are repeated during his [Yunus] tenure, the people will be shocked," the senior BNP leader said.
He made the comments while addressing the introduction meeting of the central convening committee of Thikana Bangladesh, a newly formed pro-BNP platform, at the Nayapaltan Bhashani Auditorium in the capital on Saturday.
Rizvi strongly condemned the "killing" of Touhidul.
"If Touhidul was a criminal, he should have been arrested and brought to justice. But why would he be arrested, tortured to death, and then returned to his parents during this government's rule?" the BNP leader said.
He also said the people of the country forced a terrible and bloodthirsty government to leave as it had indulged in such extrajudicial killings.
"Why would extrajudicial killings, like those during Sheikh Hasina's regime, be repeated in this country again?"
The BNP leader also said if there had been any allegation of crime against the Jubo Dal leader, it was the responsibility of the court to judge that.
He further said the democratic parties and democracy-loving people of the country have extended their support to the Dr Yunus-led government, even though it is not an elected administration.
"But if Hasina's rule is repeated during this government, then the bloody movement, the bloodshed on the streets, and the supreme sacrifices of a five-year-old child like Ahad, and young souls like Mughdo and Abu Sayed, who fearlessly accepted the bullets of Sheikh Hasina's police during the July mass uprising, will be completely in vain," Rizvi bemoaned.