Former BNP lawmaker Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu, who was serving a life imprisonment for his involvement with the BDR carnage, died yesterday in Rajshahi.
Doctors at the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, where the convict was brought from Rajshahi jail, said Pintu had died after suffering a cardiac arrest. Dr Rois Uddin, chief of RMCH cardiac department, said Pintu was pronounced dead around 12:20pm.
Dr Rois, as well as RMCH Director Brig Gen AKM Nasir Uddin, told the Dhaka Tribune that Pintu had already died before reaching the hospital around noon yesterday.
Pintu was initially taken to the jail hospital when he started feeling chest pain in the morning, but was later rushed to the RMCH, said Rajshahi Central Jail Superintendent Shafiqul Islam.
He added that Pintu, a former president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, had been staying at the Rajshahi Central Jail since April 20 after he was transferred from Gazipur’s Kashimpur Jail.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has expressed her deep shock at the death of the former lawmaker.
Meanwhile, after visiting the RMCH, BNP Central Committee member Motiur Rahman Mantu blamed prison authorities for not bringing Pintu to the hospital in time.
The deceased BNP leader’s brother, Rintu, also blamed jail officials, saying: “My brother has died because of negligence from the jail authorities.”
On November 5, 2013, Pintu was awarded life imprisonment and fined Tk500,000 for his involvement in the killing of 57 army officers during the BDR mutiny in February 2009 at Pilkhana.
Later in January 2014, the convict filed an appeal with the High Court, challenging his conviction in the BDR carnage case.
In March this year, the BNP leader collected a nomination form to contest in the Dhaka South City Corporation mayoral race. However, the Election Commission cancelled his nomination paper as he was a convict in the BDR carnage case.
