Constitution of Bangladesh provides four fundamental freedoms or safeguards upon a person arrested under ordinary law. - he cannot be detained in custody without being informed of the charge against him/her as soon as may be, of the grounds of his arrest (re-phrase); - he must be given the right to consult and to be represented by a lawyer of his own choice; - he has the right to be produced before the nearest magistrate within 24 hours of his arrest; and - he cannot be detained in custody beyond the period of 24 hours without the authority of the magistrate. Similar safeguards can be found in several provisions of the Cr. P.C. Section 60 of the Cr. P.C provides that a police officer arresting a person must produce him before the Magistrate having jurisdiction. Section 61 provides that a police officer must not detain an arrested person for more than twenty four hours without the authority of a magistrate. The other two guarantees are absent in the Cr. P.C. But these constitutional and legal safeguards are honoured more in the breach than their observance. International Legal Obligations of Bangladesh Bangladesh has ratified or acceded to a number of international human rights instruments that prohibit 22