Dhaka. The politics of Bangladesh has once again come to a boil. Senior Awami League leader, prominent face of the Hindu community and former water resources minister Ramesh Chandra Sen died in custody on Saturday. 85-year-old Sen was ill for a long time and was lodged in Dinajpur district jail. On Saturday morning, he was brought from jail to the emergency department of Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, where he was declared dead after a few minutes.
According to the jail administration, Ramesh Chandra Sen was brought to the hospital at around 9:10 am and doctors confirmed his death at 9:29 am. However, after his death, serious questions have been raised regarding custodial death. Opposition parties, human rights activists and social media users have refused to accept it as a mere death due to disease.
It is noteworthy that Ramesh Chandra Sen was an influential name in Bangladesh politics. He was elected MP five times and had been the Water Resources Minister in the Sheikh Hasina government. He had also won the last general elections in 2024. Political analysts say that the way cases were registered against Awami League leaders after the fall of Sheikh Hasina government, a feeling of political vendetta is clearly visible. Three cases, including one of murder, were registered against Sen in recent months, which many analysts are terming as “ghost cases”.
Sources claim that Ramesh Chandra Sen was not given adequate medical care during his detention. At the time of his arrest in August 2024, his photographs went viral on social media, in which his hands were seen tied with ropes. Even at that time questions were raised regarding his age and health. Many Awami League leaders had left the country, but Sen remained at his home. He said that he had not committed any crime and he had faith in the justice system.
After his death, there were sharp reactions on social media. Many users have described it as “prison murder” and “custodial killing”. According to reports, the number of Awami League leaders who died of illness in custody has now reached at least five.
Ramesh Chandra Sen’s political stature can also be understood from the fact that he had defeated senior opposition leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in the elections. His death has once again sparked serious debate in Bangladesh regarding human rights, protection of minorities and political vendetta.
