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DHAKA, Tuesday (AFP) A 73-year-old man has became the 24th person to die in custody since Bangladesh's army launched a controversial operation against crime three weeks ago, police said Tuesday.

Abul Kashem, a farmer, was picked by the army November 2 and was handed over to the police the same day after being grilled in Tangail district near the capital Dhaka, said police, who did not reveal the reason for his detention.

The elderly man fell sick at the district jail and died in hospital of a heart attack on Sunday, more than a week after his arrest, police said.

Relatives claim many of the 24 people who have died after being detained had been tortured, but officials say they had been in poor health and that complaints of custody deaths were being investigated.

Rights groups and the United States have criticised the army operation launched October 17 and said they had evidence of rights abuses.

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