Political detainees are dying behind bars, and their deaths are casting a harsh light on Bangladesh’s prisons, from torture claims and packed cells to an alarming lack of doctors and ambulances.
Moniruzzaman Monir, a joint convener of the Mohammadpur unit of Jubo League, died in prison on Wednesday night. Although the political activist, who was arrested on 18 October 2024, was granted bail twice, he was repeatedly re-arrested in new cases at the prison gate.
Monir’s death in Dhaka Central Jail follows the death of Chhatra League activist Ishtiaq Ahmed Pranto in in custody of Faridpur District Detective Branch, it and comes just two weeks after Jubo League leader Mohammad Nurul Alam died in a Chattogram jail.
While custodial and prison deaths are not unprecedented in Bangladesh, a recent spate of such incidents within a short period has sparked intense debate and scrutiny.
Although ordinary prisoners are among the deceased, public discussion has naturally focused on individuals affiliated with political parties.
Following the political transition in Bangladesh on 5 August 2024, renewed concerns have emerged regarding the nation’s human rights situation, particularly the safety of detainees in secure custody.
Law enforcement agencies consistently maintain that prisoners routinely fall ill and are pronounced dead upon arrival at hospital. However, victims’ families invariably allege torture, raising long-standing doubts over the fairness and credibility of subsequent investigations.
Death tally
According to the human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), 185 deaths in prison custody were recorded between 5 August 2024 and June 2026, comprising 120 undertrials and 56 sentenced prisoners.
In a similar timeframe up to May 2026, the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) documented 163 custody deaths, noting that 91 victims were undertrials and 72 were convicted.
At least 16 of these individuals were leaders or activists belonging to the banned Awami League and its affiliates. Furthermore, ASK reported that in the first six months of 2026 alone, 61 people died across various prisons, 37 of whom were undertrial detainees.
Taking a broader historical view, a report by the human rights organisation Odhikar documented 486 custodial deaths between 22 June 2001 and 22 June 2026.
Their data reveals that 184 deaths occurred under the BNP-led four-party coalition government, six during the subsequent caretaker administration, and 42 under the army-controlled caretaker government.
Meanwhile, 213 deaths were recorded during the fifteen and a half years of the Awami League administration up to June 2024, whilst 29 deaths have occurred in custody under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.
Allegation of torture
Human rights activists attribute these custodial deaths primarily to physical torture, severe mental stress, and a critical lack of prompt, adequate medical treatment.
Several recent cases highlight these systemic concerns.
Abdur Razzak, environment and forest secretary of Savar Municipality unit AL, died in Dhaka Central Jail on 13 February 2025; his relatives claim he was severely tortured and was already deceased when transferred to hospital.
Similarly, Saidur Rahman Sujon, former chairman of Birulia union in Savar was implicated in a firearms case during the 2024 uprising, died in Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj in June 2025. His family alleged that inhumane prison torture drove him to suicide.
Further allegations involve medical neglect and violence. Ataur Rahman Ata, a Savar Hawkers League leader, died under the interim administration, with his family blaming a lack of essential medical care.
Meanwhile, Debashish Chowdhury, detained following post-uprising vandalism in 2024, died in Chattogram Central Jail on 19 May, amid family allegations of continuous prison abuse.
In response, Inspector General of Prisons, Brigadier General Syed Md Motahar Hossain, said that every custodial death undergoes rigorous investigation, including forensic analysis if families complain, asserting that no evidence of torture has been detected. However, ASM Nasir Uddin Elan, director of the human rights organisation Odhikar, countered that two pressing factors remain: many detainees enter prison already injured or ill without receiving timely internal treatment, while others tragically succumb to illnesses that develop entirely during their incarceration.
Treatment crisis in jails
Elan also emphasises that the severe shortage of doctors across the country’s prisons heavily disrupts emergency medical services.
When a detainee suffers a heart attack or acute illness, critical time is wasted navigating administrative hurdles to authorise a hospital transfer, drastically increasing mortality risks.
Furthermore, many facilities lack adequate ambulances, forcing authorities to rely on rented vehicles. Even when available, these transport units frequently lack essential life-support equipment, such as oxygen cylinders, depriving patients of timely care.
Compounding these structural deficiencies, inmates’ complaints of chest pains or severe symptoms are routinely ignored, delaying life-saving intervention.
Elan added that a significant portion of torture in jails is tied to institutional corruption; prisoners who cannot afford to pay bribes are denied basic amenities and necessary medical attention, leaving impoverished detainees particularly vulnerable to mistreatment.
The Inspector General of Prisons acknowledged these severe systemic limitations, revealing that prisons hold two to three times their intended capacity.
Crucially, 159 out of 161 medical officer posts remain vacant across 75 prisons. To resolve this healthcare crisis, the Prisons Directorate has submitted a proposal to amend deputation regulations, aiming to recruit non-cadre doctors directly.
Deaths before reaching hospital
According to the Prisons Directorate, 491 inmates have died whilst being transferred from prison to hospital over the past five years.
In the critical absence of dedicated ambulances, severely ill detainees are routinely transported to medical facilities using rickshaws, vans, or whatever vehicles happen to be available.
Currently, there are only 23 functional ambulances shared amongst the 75 prisons nationwide.
In September 2022, the Prisons Department formally requested 107 ambulances from the Home Ministry.
Although an allocation of 46 ambulances was approved at the time, almost three and a half years have since passed without a single vehicle being delivered.
