'Custodial death' of BNP leader triggers protests, road blockades in Chuadanga
Locals say BNP leader Shamsuzzaman Dablu was detained from his business premises yesterday and taken into army custody; he died shortly afterwards.
The alleged custodial death of a local BNP leader last night (12 January) has triggered protests and road blockades by party activists in Chuadanga.
According to local sources, Shamsuzzaman Dablu, general secretary of the Jibannagar municipal unit of the BNP, was detained from his business premises in front of the Jibannagar Upazila Health Complex at around 10pm yesterday and taken into army custody. He died shortly afterwards, they said.
Makbul Hasan, health and family planning officer of the Jibannagar Upazila Health Complex, said injury marks were found on the body of Shamsuzzaman and that he had died before being brought to this health facility.
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After completion of the inquest, the body was sent to the Chuadanga Sadar Hospital morgue for post-mortem examination. An inquest report is currently being prepared under the supervision of an executive magistrate.
After the news of this death spread, BNP leaders and supporters set tyres on fire and felled trees to block roads, halting traffic on the Chuadanga-Jibannagar road.
The main gate of the Jibannagar Upazila Health Complex remained under army control, causing inconvenience to general patients seeking medical services.
Senior district officials visited the area as tensions escalated. The deputy commissioner, superintendent of police, and the district BNP president and general secretary arrived at the upazila health complex this noon (13 January).
Leaders and activists of the BNP and its associate organisations during demonstrations demanded the immediate identification of those responsible and their prosecution, as they alleged that Dablu was subjected to torture, which led to his death.
Also, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in a media statement today, demanded justice and sought the army chief's intervention over the death of Dablu, mentioning that some members of security forces picked him up under the pretext of weapons recovery and subjected him to torture.
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Kamal Hossain said a thorough investigation would be conducted and that all those found responsible, regardless of identity, would be brought to justice.
