While the illegal interim government has established a reign of terror across the country using the demonic mobs in the past 10 months, it chose to apply every brutal method of persecution during police remand and inside prisons in an attempt to instill fear among the Awami League members.
As per newspaper reports, at least 27 leaders and activists of the Awami League and affiliated organisations have been killed in custody.
The authorities claimed that the deaths in prison were caused by ailments or suicide and did not carry out any investigation.
After capturing power in August, the Yunus-led interim government made a world record by filing over 80,000 cases against the Awami League leaders and activists, arrested more than 3,60,000 people, and imprisoned at least 1,37,000 without trial.
In addition to the flawed legal measures, government supporters have killed several hundred leaders and activists of the Awami League in targeted attacks. In addition to these fatalities, mobs claimed the lives of another 172 people.
The killers are so brutal that they are not afraid of chopping or shooting someone in broad daylight. Ordinary people are also afraid to protest. Robberies and looting are taking place in houses and offices every day. People are killed if they refuse to pay the toll. Women and children are raped every day.
However, not all incidents receive media coverage, and the perpetrators continue to act with impunity.
List of the deceased
The Awami League and independent researchers have accumulated a list of 27 leaders and activists of the party who have been killed extrajudicially in police custody or in prisons where they were supposed to feel the safest.
They were denied bail again and again, attacked in court, and tortured in remand. Moreover, prison officials and employees are also accused of torturing the Awami League members.
#1. Saidur Rahman Sujan
Sujan, 45, was the Organizing Secretary of Dhaka North District Swechchhasebak League and former Chairman of the Birulia Union Parishad in Savar.
He had 15 cases filed against him. Family members and the Awami League have alleged that he was tortured during remand and in prison.
Authorities of the Central Jail at Keraniganj claim that Sujan committed suicide by using his towel around 11am on June 15. He was brought dead to Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 12:30pm.
After examining the body at home, Sujanโs family members said his throat and face had no signs of suicide.
#2. Md Ali Azgar
Azgar was the general secretary of the Boubazar Unit Awami League of Ward No. 58, Dhaka Metropolitan South.
He passed away at the Central Jail in Keraniganj, Dhaka, on Eid-ul-Azha day on June 7. Jail authorities say he died of a heart attack.
He was arrested first after the August 5 changeover and later got bail. But he was arrested again and brutally tortured after being taken on remand.
The family alleges that the prison authorities pushed him to death without providing him with proper treatment, even when he was seriously ill.
#3. Imam Hossain Bachchu
Bachchu, 44, was the Vice-President of the Cumilla Metropolitan unit of the Swechchhasebak League, the volunteer wing of the Awami League.
He died while in custody in the Cumilla District Jail on May 31.
Jail authorities claimed that the deceased was taken to Cumilla Medical College Hospital when he was having chest pain. On-duty doctors declared him dead upon arrival.
His family has alleged that some activists of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami tried to strangle him to death when he was taken to the court.
#4. Fazal Uddin Emon
Fazal, 45, was the joint convener of Lakhai Upazila Jubo League in Habiganj.
He suffered a heart attack out of fear when a team of the Lakhai police launched a drive at Tegharia village to arrest Awami League leaders and activists on May 21, police said.
Locals took him to Lakhai Upazila Hospital, where he died the following day.
#5. Kamal Hossain
Kamal, 55, was a former councillor of Rajshahi City Corporation Ward No. 3.
Four cases were filed against him after the government fell on August 5. He was absconding to evade arrest.
Police raided the city’s Daspukur area after the midnight on April 30 to arrest the accused in various cases.
Family members said that sensing the presence of the police, Kamal left his house and went to a nearby house and climbed the stairs to the roof. He fell ill on the stairs and died due to a heart attack.
#6. Farzad Hossain Sajib
Bangladesh Awami Swechchhasebak League activist Sajib was sent to Chittagong Central Jail on March 27 after the Kotwali police arrested him in a robbery attempt case.
Since then, he had been kept in a prison cell of Ward No. 7 of the Jamuna Bhaban.
Jail authorities claimed that Sajib complained of a chest pain and was sent to CMC Hospital on April 25. The duty doctor declared him dead at the emergency department. The death certificate states that he died of a heart attack.
However, the victimโs brother-in-law, Md Sohel, said that at around 11:30am, someone called them from the jail and demanded Tk20,000, claiming that Sajib had a fight with other inmates.
Around 20 minutes later, another person called from another number and said that Sajib had suddenly fallen ill and asked his relatives to go to CMCH. Examining the body, the family members saw signs of torture all over his body.
#7. Reazul Islam Raizul
A Belgium expatriate, Reazul, 55, was the chairman of Purba Birgaon Union Parishad in Shantiganj Upazila of Sunamganj and the president of the Union Awami League.
Authorities at Sunamganj District Jail claimed that he fell ill on the night of April 9 and was declared dead after he was taken to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.
Police arrested Reazul on March 30 as a suspected accused in a case filed under the Special Powers Act. His name was not in the complaint. Later, he was shown arrested in the case and sent to jail after the investigation officer filed a prayer in court.
#8. Sujit Chandra Dey
Awami League activist Sujit, 40, was kept in Kishoreganj District Jail on February 18 in an explosive substances case filed with Mithamoin police station.
Jail authorities claimed that Sujit started having chest pain around 1:40am on April 2 and died while undergoing treatment at Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Medical College Hospital around 2am.
Sujit is the son of the late Badir Chandra Dey of Dhaki Thakurhati village of Mithamoin Upazila.
#9. Emdadul Haque Bhotto
Emdadul, 52, was the Organising Secretary of the Awami Leagueโs Dakkhin Para Union unit under Gabtoli Upazila in Bogura.
He was arrested in an explosive substance case on February 26.
He died at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital on March 11, within hours after he was taken there due to chest pain.
Emdadul is the fifth Awami League leader to have died in Bogura District Jail due to heart attack in four months.
#10. Jahidul Islam Shipu
Jahidul was the joint general secretary of the Bangladesh Chhatra Leagueโs Principal Ibrahim Khan Government College in Bhuapur, Tangail.
He died due to torture in police custody on February 23, 2025, Chhatra League President Saddam Hussain and General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan said in a statement. They said that the people of Bangladesh will ensure justice for all the killings.
#11. Siddiq Hossain Mollah
Siddiq, 45, was the Organising Secretary of Paranpur Union Awami League in Manda Upazila of Natore.
Police arrested him in Gopalpur allegedly with fake Indian currency on February 4. He was remanded for three days, and a court ordered him to jail on February 13.
Naogaon District Jail officials said that Siddiq fell ill around 12:30pm on February 17 and was taken to the prison hospital.
When his condition deteriorated, he was first admitted to Naogaon Sadar Hospital and then to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, where he was declared dead.
#12. Abdur Razzak
Razzak, 50, was the Forest and Environment Affairs Secretary of Savar Municipality Awami League.
He was arrested in a murder case on October 6 and remanded twice.
On February 13, he died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 5:30pm after being taken from the Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj.
#13. Akter Sikder
Joint General Secretary of Awami Leagueโs Modhupur Union in Terokhada of Khulna, Akter Sikder surrendered in court in a case on January 27.
Jail officials claim that Sikder had a stroke around noon on February 9 and was taken to the prison hospital. Later, he was shifted to Khulna Medical College Hospital, where he died in the evening.
#14. Mominur Rahman
Jubo League leader Mominur, 50, was the former president of Ward No. 4 under Mirganj Union in Jaldhaka, Nilphamari.
He was arrested in two sabotage cases on December 12.
Jail officials claimed that Mominur had asthma. After he fell sick on January 7, he was first taken to Nilphamari Sadar Hospital. The following day, he was shifted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for better treatment.
He died on January 14 while undergoing treatment.
#15. Sheikh Zahirul Islam
General Secretary of Sreepur Upazila Sramik League in Gazipur, Sheikh Zahirul Islam, was arrested on December 5.
Since the first week of January, he had been kept in Gazipur District Jail hospital for treatment.
On January 10, when he felt chest pain, he was shifted to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital, jail officials said.
Doctors said Sheikh Zahirul was brought in dead around 5:20pm.
#16. Nitya Sarkar
Hailing from Harirampur Upazila in Manikganj, Nitya Sarkar, 44, was arrested on October 30 in a sabotage case.
He was the Vice-President of Kaloi Ward Unit Awami League under No. 2 Gala Union of the upazila and a carpenter by profession.
On December 31, he was taken to the 250-bed General Hospital in Manikganj. When his condition deteriorated, he was transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for better treatment.
But he died while undergoing treatment at DMCH on January 4.
#17. Hemesh Chandra Mondol
Khulnaโs Paikgasa Municipality Awami League Member Secretary Hemesh Chandra was injured while escaping arrest and died on December 15.
Locals reported that Hemesh Chandra’s daughters actively participated in the student movement in July.
Police went to his house in Batikhali area as he is accused in a case. At that time, the elderly Hemesh Chandra was at the adjacent house. To evade arrest, he tried to climb a PVC pipe but fell on the ground, sustaining severe injuries.
He was first taken to Paikgasa Upazila Health Complex and then transferred to Khulna Medical College Hospital. But he died on the way to the hospital.
#18. Ataur Rahman Angur
Forest and Environment Secretary of Sirajganj Municipality Awami League Ataur Rahman Angur, 55, was arrested in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act on November 1.
He had been kept in the prison hospital for suffering from asthma.
On December 10, he was taken to Shaheed M Mansur Ali Medical College Hospital in a critical condition. He died after 30 minutes.
The case was filed by a local Jamaat leader on October 26 over an incident from 2015.
#19. Abdul Matin Mithu
Abdul Matin, 65, was the former chairman of Durgahata Union Parishad, member of Gabtoli Upazila Awami League and President of Ward No. 6 of the Durgahata Union unit.
He had been in prison since August 24. Jail officials confirmed that he had no physical illness. He first complained of a sore throat on December 7 and was taking medicine on the advice of a prison doctor.
Within several hours, he felt chest pain and was sent to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital. Doctors said he died of heart disease.
#20. Hazrat Ali
After the August 5 changeover, Awami League activist and Dubai expatriate Hazrat Ali, 30, was implicated in several cases.
Yet, he returned to Bangladesh on vacation but remained away from his family to evade arrest.
When he went to meet his family before returning to Dubai, three army teams surrounded his house at Bholanagar village of Bancharampur in Brahmanbaria in the night of December 5.
Unable to find him, the army members tied his nephew and school teacher Al-Amin Master to a tree and started beating him.
Seeing this, Hazrat Ali came out from hiding. Then he was also tied to a tree and tortured brutally by the army personnel. After the torture, the army members took him away and left him at the police station, where he died.
#21. Shahadot Alam Jhunu
Former principal of Bogra Police Lines School and College and the Organising Secretary of Bogra District Awami League Shahadat Alam Jhunu was arrested on August 24.
On November 26, jail officials said Jhunu suddenly suffered a cardiac arrest at the prison hospital around 11:30am. He was later sent to Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital.
When his physical condition deteriorated, doctors advised that he be taken to Dhaka. He died on the way after reaching Sirajganj.
#22. Abdul Latif
Boguraโs Shibganj Upazila Awami League Treasurer Abdul Latif, 65, was sued on August 15. He was arrested soon after the case was filed.
On November 23, he fell ill around 11am. The jail authorities admitted him to Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital for treatment. He died around 6am on November 25 while undergoing treatment in the hospital’s ICU.
#23. Shahidul Alam Ratan
Bogura Municipality Ward No. 15 General Secretary Shahidul Alam was arrested in October in a sabotage case.
Jail authorities claimed that Shahidul had been suffering from diabetes, asthma and cardiac issues. Recently, they kept him in the prison hospital.
He died in the early hours of November 12.
#24. Alimuzzaman Chowdhury
Muktijuddho Prajanma Kalyan Parishadโs founding president and physician, Alimuzzaman Chowdhury, hailing from Ghonapara in Gopalganj, was arrested in a murder case on September 14. He was also remanded in the case.
On October 13, when Alimuzzaman fell ill in the Gopalganj District Jail, the prison authorities first took him to Sheikh Sayera Khatun Medical College.
Later, when his condition deteriorated there, he was taken to Faridpur. The duty doctor referred him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, but he died on the way.
#25, 26. Shafiqul Islam, Sohrab Hossain Apel
On September 10, a team of the joint forces arrested Gaibandhaโs Saghata Union Parishad Chairman and Saghata Union Awami League President Mosharraf Hossain Sweet, his nephew Sohrab Hossain Apel, 35, Shafiqul Islam, 45, and two others.
The law enforcers raided the UP chairmanโs house for arms. After finding nothing, the law enforcers beat up the five individuals, resulting in severe injuries.
Of them, Shafiqul died at Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, and Sohrab succumbed to injuries at Gaibandha Sadar Hospital.
#27. Elahi Sikder
Worker of a snack shop at Falsi village in Nizamkandi of Kashiani, Gopalganj, Elahi Sikder was arrested on September 3 in a case filed for an attack on an army patrol vehicle. He was sent to jail the following day.
After he fell sick around 10pm on September 6, the prison authorities admitted him to Gopalganj General Hospital, where he died around 1am.
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