15 BNP men died in police custody 'for lack of care or torture': Rizvi

BNP on Sunday presented a list of its 15 leaders and activists who the party said died in prison before and after 28 October 2023.

Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi provided journalists with the list at a press briefing at the party's Nayapaltan central office in Dhaka.

Rizvi claimed 15 BNP leaders and workers perished in prison either without receiving adequate medical care or medication or as a result of torture and persecution during police remand.

He, however, said the prison authorities gave similar typed interpretations after all the deaths that they died on the way to hospitals. "The fact is that they died in prisons, not in hospitals."

Those who died in custody as per the party list include Khulna Jubo Dal leader Kamal Hossain Mizan, Satkhira BNP leaders Abdus Sattar, and Mohsin-ul Mulk, Rangpur BNP leader Manowarul Islam, Dhaka south city unit BNP leaders Idris Al, Abul Bashar, and  Imtiaz Ahmed, Gazipur BNP leaders  Asaduzzaman Khan Hira, and Mohammad Shafiuddin Master, Pabna BNP leader  Abul Kalam Azad, Chattogram city unit BNP leader Golamur Rahman Golap, Natore Jubo Dal leader Abul Kalam Azad, Rajshahi Jubo Dal leader  Monirul Islam, Naogaon BNP leader  Motibul Mandal and Dhaka city unit Sramik Dal leader Fazlur Rahman Kajal.

Rizvi criticised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her comments that those who want to raise questions about the fairness of the 12th general election must clearly show evidence in favour of their assertions.

"Those who commit crimes think of themselves as innocent. You [PM] yourself are the biggest proof of election fraud. Because the secretary of the Election Commission appointed by you himself said that the list of those who would win was given to the DCs."

He said even the defeated candidates belonging to the ruling party presented information about vote fraud before the nation by holding press conferences. 

The BNP leader said the local and international media also depicted various election irregularities and empty polling stations amid the boycott by the country's people.

He said the country's people and the international community also know how the government launched an extreme crackdown on the BNP leaders and workers and sent hundreds of opposition leaders and followers to jail for holding a lopsided dummy election.

The BNP leader said even Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud admitted that India kept Awami League in power by extending its support to the party, before addressing Sheikh Hasina: "Prime Minister, you cannot win people's hearts with lies."