Eight people in Chattogram who were permanently disabled by gunfire during Sheikh Hasina’s government continue to face prolonged medical treatment, unemployment and multiple criminal cases, the report says. The victims allege they were tortured after being detained or held in custody, shot in the legs, and later named in cases to conceal the incidents. They include Abu Taher, Kamal Uddin, Md Rafiq, Enamul Haque, Shahidul Islam, Saju Akter, Arafat and Saiful Islam. Several lost a leg, while cases against them range from five to 65, with many still pending.

Victims say the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act, enacted in 2013, was not effectively implemented. Most did not seek legal remedies against police because of fear, insecurity and concern about retaliatory cases. Odhikar director S S Nasiruddin Elan said the law was passed but not applied, and alleged that people who filed cases under it were harassed. He said human rights groups would closely monitor progress in such cases after the fall of the Hasina government.