Writer Mushtaq Ahmed’s body handed over to family after autopsy
His family members did not want to talk to the media about his death
The body of writer Mushtaq Ahmed has been handed over to family after conducting autopsy.
The writer, who was arrested under the Digital Security Act for posting anti-government write-ups on social media Facebook, died at the Kashimpur jail in Gazipur on Thursday night.
The body was handed over to the relatives after completing the legal process at 12:30 pm on Friday.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The 53-year old writer had been in jail since May last year.
Meanwhile, his relatives did not want to talk to the media about his death, but his colleagues have made various allegations.
The doctor who completed the autopsy said he died before he was brought to the hospital. However, no injuries or other symptoms were found on his body, said the Head of the Forensic Department of Shaheed Taj Uddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital Dr. Safi Mohaimen.
They conducted autopsy as per jail protocol, he said.
The autopsy was conducted in the presence of a magistrate at 10.30 am. The autopsy found no signs of external injuries on his body.
According to Prison authorities said Mushtaq fell sick inside the highly secured prison on Thursday evening. He was first taken to the jail hospital. Later he was sent to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital where the on-duty doctor declared him dead.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore and writer Mushtaq Ahmed from Kakrail and Lalmatia on 5 May under the Digital Security Act for posting anti-government posts on Facebook.
On 5 May last year, RAB-3 warrant officer Abu Bakar Siddique filed the case with Ramna Police Station against 11 people, including cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore.
The case statement read that the accused published various posts conveying misinformation and rumours on the Facebook page called 'I am Bangladeshi' to tarnish the image or reputation of the state or to spread confusion. Which creates confusion among the people and degrades the law and order situation in the country.
Although two people were released on bail in that case, the bail applications of Mushtaq and Kishore were rejected six times.
