Death of 13 party leaders in prisons, BNP alleges ‘planned murder’

As another leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) died in custody, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Friday alleged, “Each death was planned.”

“Thirteen leaders of BNP died of torture over the past three months. Detained leaders-activists are being brutally tortured at prions taking away their privileges as allowed by jail codes, and they are not being given adequate foods and proper treatment.”

Rizvi made these remarks at a press conference at the party’s Naya Paltan central office in Dhaka on Friday. BNP organised the briefing to address the deaths of several party leaders who died in custody recently.

Earlier on Thursday, Monowarul Islam, assistant organising secretary of BNP’s Lakhsmitari union unit of Gangachara uapzila, died in the Rangpur jail.

Rizvi said police picked up Monowarul from his house on 13 January and tortured him inhumanly in the next day and night instead of producing him before the court. His head, back and entire legs bore injury marks.

Quoting Monowarul’s father and brother, Rizvi said their party leader received no treatment and died of police torture.

Rizvi called for international probe to all custodial deaths including that of Monwarul Islam.