BCL activist dies in DB custody, 30-min highway blockade demanding punishment for the culprits

A protest involving a highway blockade lasting over half an hour was staged in Faridpur's Madhukhali upazila, demanding justice for a Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activist who fell ill and died while in the custody of the police's Detective Branch (DB).

Later, three leaders of the Upazila unit BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) attended the namaz-e-janaza, and termed the incident a "murder" and demanded exemplary punishment for the culprits.

The events transpired today, Monday, between 10:45 am and 3:15 pm adjacent to the Dhaka-Khulna Highway at Peyajbazar, the Madhukhali Central Eidgah Maidan, and the Pashchim Gondardia neighbourhood within the Madhukhali Pourashava of Faridpur.

At around 10:45 am, an ambulance brought the body of the deceased BCL activist, Mirza Ishtiaq Ahmed alias Pranto, 27, from the mortuary of the Faridpur Diabetic Hospital to his residence in the Pashchim Gondardia neighbourhood, adjacent to Peyajbazar in Madhukhali. At one stage, aggrieved locals blocked the Dhaka-Khulna Highway in the Peyajbazar area.

According to witnesses, a significant number of women were among the protesters. During the blockade, people sat and lay down on the highway. Although the police initially attempted to intervene, they were unable to advance in the face of public resistance. As the highway remained blocked from 11:00 am to 11:40 am, hundreds of long-route vehicles were stranded on both sides of the road, causing immense suffering to the passengers.

Considering the passengers' plight, the protesters withdrew from the highway at around 11:40 am following requests from the family members of the deceased Mirza Ishtiaq Ahmed, after which traffic flow returned to normal.

Following the Zuhr prayers, the funeral prayers commenced at around 2:00 pm at the Madhukhali Central Eidgah Maidan. On behalf of the deceased's family, his cousin Mirza Lotus Kamal delivered a speech.

Prior to the commencement of the prayers, Upazila BNP President Shahabuddin Ahmed, General Secretary Abdul Alim, and Madhukhali Pourashava BNP President Haidar Ali Mollah addressed the gathering.

All three termed the incident a "murder". They demanded the identification of those involved in the incident and asked for exemplary punishment.

Upazila BNP President Shahabuddin Ahmed alias Sotej said, "We are deeply saddened by the killing of Pranto (Mirza Ishtiaq). We demand a fair trial for this. Whoever the offender may be, bringing them to justice and taking legal action against them is everyone's right. But apprehending an accused and beating them to death is something we can accept under no circumstances."

Shahabuddin Ahmed added, "Who perpetrated this act? Who is involved in this incident? We want a fair trial for it. We want to ensure that no mother has to lose her child like this, and no individual has to succumb to injuries inflicted through police torture."

Following the janaza, Mirza Ishtiaq was laid to rest beside the grave of his late father, Esken Haidar, at their family graveyard in Pashchim Gondardia.

Meanwhile, a three-member internal investigation committee has been formed by the district police regarding the death of Mirza Ishtiaq.

Faridpur's Superintendent of Police (SP) Nazrul Islam constituted the probe committee on Sunday afternoon.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration and Finance) Fatema Islam has been made the head of this committee. The other two members of the committee are Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Ops) Md Shamsul Azam and DSB (OC) Mosharraf Hossain.

SP Nazrul Islam stated that the committee has been instructed to submit its report within the next seven working days.

Speaking to Prothom Alo at around 3:45 pm today, the head of the investigation committee, Additional SP Fatema Islam, stated that the committee has already commenced its work and will make every effort to submit the report within the stipulated timeframe.

Notably, Mirza Ishtiaq Ahmed was detained by the DB at around 5:00 pm last Saturday. His relatives alleged that he was beaten in front of his mother at the time of detention.

The following morning, Ishtiaq passed away in DB custody at the Faridpur Medical College Hospital. Subsequently, the Faridpur district branch of the banned organisation issued a condolence message, identifying Ishtiaq as a "dedicated activist" of the Chhatra League.