Awami League leader Saidur Rahman Sujan has died in custody, marking the 25th such death under Muhammad Yunus’s interim regime. Allegations of torture, mass arrests, and political persecution spark outrage as the Awami League demands a judicial investigation into rising custodial deaths and state-sponsored brutality.
The death of Awami League leader Saidur Rahman Sujan in prison custody marks the 25th such incident under the interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus. His death, reported by local media on Sunday, has once again sparked outrage and intensified allegations of political persecution against the current regime.
Sujan, the Organising Secretary of Dhaka North District Swechchhasebak League and former Chairman of Birulia Union Parishad in Savar, was reportedly declared dead at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) around 12:30 p.m. Jail authorities at the Central Jail in Keraniganj claimed that Sujan committed suicide, but his family and party members strongly rejected the claim, citing signs of abuse and demanding a full judicial investigation.
Md Farouk, police in charge at the DMCH outpost, confirmed that Sujan was brought in dead from the jail. “He was taken to the jail hospital immediately and later shifted to DMCH, where doctors pronounced him dead,” he said.
This incident is the latest in a series of alleged custodial abuses since the Yunus-led administration assumed control. According to a report by The Daily Republic, the interim regime has filed over 80,000 cases against Awami League members and supporters. In less than a year, more than 360,000 people have been arrested, and over 137,000 of them have reportedly been jailed without trial. The widespread arrests and detentions have raised concerns among human rights groups, political observers, and the international community.
Just days before Sujan’s death, another Awami League leader, Ali Azgar, died while in custody during the Eid holidays on June 7 at the same Keraniganj jail. His family alleged that he was denied critical medical care despite his worsening condition and subjected to inhumane treatment, ultimately leading to his death.
In response to the mounting fatalities and alleged abuse, the Awami League issued a strongly worded statement on Sunday. The party condemned what it called the “systematic persecution and killing” of its leaders and activists by the “illegal, fascist Yunus regime.” It described the deaths as “horrific acts of torture and violence,” and called for immediate judicial investigations and the prosecution of those responsible.
“We are witnessing firsthand the collapse of public safety in Bangladesh,” the party said. “Every day, the media reports new cases of murder, rape, extortion, land grabbing, and violent crime. Meanwhile, the unconstitutional and illegitimate Yunus government is actively working to alienate Awami League members from their own homeland, treating them as enemies.”
The statement further described the actions of law enforcement as those of “agents of an extremist regime” and warned that the growing number of custodial deaths was a clear indication of state-sponsored brutality and political cleansing.
The Awami League claims that these detentions are often politically motivated, based on falsified charges aimed at weakening the party’s grassroots and regional leadership structures. “Despite being illegally detained, we hoped our people would at least be safe from physical harm in custody. But even that hope has now turned into horror,” it said.
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As demands for accountability rise, human rights organizations have also begun to raise alarms over the deteriorating conditions in Bangladeshi prisons and the apparent erosion of due process under the current administration.
The repeated deaths of political detainees, combined with mass arrests and alleged torture, have ignited fears of a deepening human rights crisis in Bangladesh. With 25 Awami League members already dead in custody, pressure continues to mount on the Yunus-led interim government to address growing calls for transparency, justice, and a return to democratic norms.
