Three Awami League-linked activists have died in separate incidents linked to police action within four days, triggering allegations from families, protests in one district and renewed scrutiny over law enforcement operations targeting leaders and activists of the banned party.
The three incidents -- recorded in Barisal, Faridpur and Chittagong between June 21 and June 25 -- involved a ward-level Awami League leader, a Chhatra League activist and a Jubo League leader.
While authorities have maintained different explanations in each case, families and political supporters have questioned the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The latest incident occurred on Wednesday when Nurul Alam, joint convener of Dhemsha Union Jubo League in Chittagong’s Satkania upazila, died after being taken from Chittagong Central Jail to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, less than a day after he had been sent to prison in an explosives case.
Prison authorities said Nurul complained of feeling unwell early Wednesday and was first treated at the jail hospital before being referred to CMCH, where he died.
According to prison officials, his death certificate cited respiratory complications.
His family, however, rejected the official explanation, alleging that he had been “murdered in a planned manner” after being arrested by Detective Branch police on Tuesday.
The incident followed the death of Mirza Ishtiaq Ahmed, a Chhatra League activist from Madhukhali in Faridpur, who died on Sunday after being detained by the district Detective Branch.
According to his family, Ishtiaq was arrested on Saturday afternoon and beaten in front of his mother before being taken into DB custody.
He died the following morning at Faridpur Medical College Hospital.
Police have not publicly disclosed the cause of his death.
The incident sparked protests in Madhukhali, where residents blocked the Dhaka-Khulna highway for around 40 minutes before withdrawing the blockade at the family’s request.
On Tuesday, Faridpur DB Sadar Zone Officer-in-Charge Syed Md Alamgir Hossain was withdrawn and attached to Police Lines for what authorities described as “administrative reasons.”
The first of the three incidents occurred on Sunday in Barisal, where Rashed Khan Menon, general secretary of Ward No 1 Awami League, died while allegedly trying to evade arrest during a police raid.
Eyewitnesses said Rashed attempted to flee by jumping across rooftops before slipping, striking his head and collapsing.
He was later declared dead at a local hospital.
Police said officers had gone to arrest him in connection with multiple political cases but returned without making an arrest after he fled.
Authorities said they learned of his death later.
The three deaths have occurred amid intensified nationwide operations against Awami League leaders and activists following the ban on the party’s activities.
Law enforcement agencies have continued raids and arrests across the country ahead of and after the party’s founding anniversary.
Although the circumstances of the three deaths differ, the incidents have fueled public debate over police operations and detention procedures.
Families in two of the cases have alleged misconduct by law enforcement, while authorities have either cited medical reasons, declined to disclose the cause of death, or said the deceased died while attempting to escape arrest.
No independent investigation into any of the three incidents has yet been announced.
