A/HRC/22/53/Add.4 punishment, including through intimidation, which are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever and can thus never be justified, and calls upon all States to implement fully the absolute and non-derogable prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” The Special Rapporteur also reminds the Government of Principle 5, which provides that “[w]henever the use of force and firearms is unavoidable law enforcement officials shall, (a) Exercise restraint in such use and act in proportion to the seriousness of the offence and the legitimate object to be achieved; (b) Minimize damage and injury, and respect and preserve human life; (c) Ensure that assistance and medical aid are rendered to any injured or affected persons at the earliest possible moment and (d) Ensure that relatives or close friends of the injured or affected person are notified at the earliest possible moment.” The Special Rapporteur calls on the Government to uphold its obligations to protect the right to physical and mental integrity of all persons and to undertake a prompt, impartial, and effective investigation of the alleged acts of excessive use of force, leading to prosecution and punishment of the perpetrators, and to provide redress to the victims. III. Replies received after the observations to communications report A/HRC/19/61 Add. 4 of 29 February 2012 163. With regard to the observations made in the frame of the previous observations to communications report A/HRC/19/61 Add.4 of 29 February 2012 covering communications sent to States between 1 December 2010 and 30 November 2011, as well as on responses received from States in relation to these communications until 31 January 2012, the Special Rapporteur acknowledges receipt of the late replies in relation to those communications, which have subsequently not been reflected in the previous report. However, he calls on Governments to reply to communications within the 60 days time frame. Bangladesh (a) JUA 21/02/2011 Case No. BGD 2/2011 State reply: 09/03/2011, 14/05/2012 Alleged detention and torture of opposition politician. 164. The Special Rapporteur thanks the Government of Bangladesh for its response to this communication regarding the alleged detention and torture of Mr. Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, an opposition politician. According to the information received, following his arrest on 16 December 2010, Mr. Chowdhury was subjected to torture by the Bangladeshi security forces during interrogation at a private residence, with a physician accompanying them. Mr. Chowdhury was reportedly tortured for several hours, including by applying electrodes to his genitals, beating him, slitting his stomach with razors and twisting his toenails and fingernails with pliers. In its reply, the Government of Bangladesh states that it formed an Inspection Committee responsible for investigating the alleged violations. The Government notes that the Inspection Committee interviewed multiple witnesses and determined that no such acts of torture or ill treatment occurred. The Government further notes that Mr. Chowdhury has been provided with adequate and independent medical treatment, has been allowed to meet regularly with his family and his lawyer, and has been afforded all other legal and due process rights in his case. The government‟s reply does not explain what measures were taken to ensure that the investigation by the Inspection Committee was surrounded by guarantees of independence and impartiality, as required by international standards. The Special Rapporteur reiterates his concern about the impartiality and independence of a committee formed by three members of the corrections agency of Bangladesh who are presumably in a hierarchical chain of command amongst themselves. In 92