Former Bangladesh Minister and senior Awami League leader Ramesh Chandra Sen passed away on Saturday while in police custody at Dinajpur District Jail. The incident has raised concerns about custodial deaths involving Awami League members, adding to allegations of political repression in Bangladesh. Sen, a former Water Resources Minister and Member of Parliament, was pronounced dead at 9:29 a.m. at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital.
According to reports, Sen fell ill early in the morning and was quickly taken from the jail to the hospital. He had been arrested last year and was facing multiple cases, including one related to murder. Jail officials stated that Sen’s health deteriorated on Saturday morning, leading to his transfer to the hospital where he was declared dead.
Dinajpur District Jail Superintendent Farhad Sarkar confirmed the news, mentioning that the body would be released to Sen’s family after completing legal formalities. Sen, born in 1940, had a long political career, serving in the Bangladesh Parliament multiple times and holding a significant position within the Awami League.
The death of Sen has reignited concerns about arbitrary detentions and custodial deaths in Bangladesh, particularly among Awami League members. Calls for transparent investigations into such incidents have been made by rights groups and activists to ensure accountability and adherence to legal safeguards. Independent probes are seen as crucial to maintaining public trust in the justice system amid ongoing worries about the treatment of political detainees in the country.
