Police have detained two employees of a rehabilitation centre in connection with an incident in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur where a 63-year-old man with a long history of mental illness was allegedly handcuffed and forcibly taken from his home.
The two employees were detained during a raid on the rehabilitation centre in Uttara on Wednesday night. The detainees have been identified as Md Jasim Uddin, also known as Palash, 47, and Md Aminur Islam, 42, both employees of Lighthouse Rehabilitation Centre in Sector 11 of Uttara.
Police also seized the handcuffs allegedly used in the incident.
Md Jewel Rana, additional deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Tejgaon Division, Mohammadpur zone, confirmed the detentions on Thursday.
The incident came to public attention after a video showing the man being taken away in handcuffs was circulated on social media. The footage prompted widespread discussion and criticism, eventually drawing the attention of the police.
According to a report submitted by the officer-in-charge of Mohammadpur Police Station to senior authorities, four to five people entered a house on Sir Syed Road in Mohammadpur on Tuesday night. They allegedly handcuffed the 63-year-old man, brought him downstairs against his will and placed him in a microbus.
The incident caused alarm among residents of the building, who reportedly witnessed the man being taken away in such circumstances.
Police later established that the man had been suffering from a mental health condition for a prolonged period. His family members live separately, and his younger brother had arranged for him to receive treatment at the Lighthouse Rehabilitation Centre in Uttara. Police said the man had previously been taken to the same centre.
Following the incident, police contacted authorities through Uttara West Police Station and investigated whether the man had been taken to the rehabilitation centre. They subsequently confirmed that he had been transported there from Mohammadpur.
Police also questioned the owner of the rehabilitation centre about the legal basis for using handcuffs while taking people to the facility. According to police, the owner was unable to provide a satisfactory explanation. He did, however, acknowledge that handcuffs had been used on some individuals while they were being taken to the centre.
Jewel Rana said the rehabilitation centre did not have authorisation to handcuff the patient. He said police became aware of the matter after the video of the incident spread on social media and subsequently took action.
The incident has raised concerns over the methods used to take people with mental health conditions to rehabilitation facilities, particularly when force or restraints are involved. While families may sometimes seek specialised care for relatives who require assistance, the circumstances surrounding any use of physical restraint remain a matter for lawful procedures and appropriate oversight.
The rehabilitation centre’s authorities could not immediately be reached for comment on the incident.
The two detained employees have since been produced before the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court, police said. Any further legal action against them will depend on the proceedings and decisions of the court.
