Awami League leader dies in custody as concerns grow over prison deaths in Bangladesh

A senior local leader of the Awami League has died while in custody at Gaibandha District Jail, adding to mounting concern over a series of custodial deaths involving members of the former ruling party in Bangladesh.

Shamikul Islam, 60, who served as president of the Awami League’s Palashbari upazila unit, fell seriously ill on Sunday and died while being transferred to Rangpur Medical College and Hospital, according to prison officials.

Md Atikur Rahman, superintendent of Gaibandha District Jail, said Islam was initially taken to the local Sadar Hospital before being referred to Rangpur for specialised treatment. He died en route, he confirmed.

Local newspaper The Daily Star, citing jail sources, reported that multiple cases had been filed against Islam following the removal of the Awami League-led government from office on 5 August 2024. He was arrested in Dhaka on 8 December in connection with one of the cases and remained in custody for an extended period. Although he later secured bail, he was reportedly re-arrested in a separate case and returned to prison.

Islam’s death follows that of former minister and senior Awami League figure Ramesh Chandra Sen, who died on 7 February after reportedly falling ill while in custody at Dinajpur District Jail. Sen, 83, had previously served as water resources minister and represented the Thakurgaon-1 constituency in parliament. He was pronounced dead at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital after being taken to its emergency department.

The Awami League has strongly criticised the authorities over what it describes as a pattern of repression targeting its leaders and supporters during the tenure of the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus.

In a statement following Sen’s death, the party rejected official accounts describing it as natural causes and alleged deliberate neglect. It claimed that prisons were being used as a means to silence political opponents and called for accountability.

The recent incidents have intensified debate over the treatment of detainees and the broader political climate in the country, as the interim government faces increasing scrutiny from opposition groups and human rights advocates.

With IANS inputs