A senior Awami League (AL) leader, Shahnur Alam Shanto, has died while in custody at Bogura District Jail, authorities confirmed. Shanto, 60, passed away on Friday night (13 March) at Dhaka’s National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, where he had been receiving treatment for heart-related complications. He had served as the vice-president of the Hatshepur Union unit of the Awami League.
Nurul Mubin, the jail superintendent of Bogura, confirmed that Shanto had been transferred to Keraniganj Jail, Dhaka, on 17 January before being admitted to hospital. His body was subsequently sent to Suhrawardy Hospital for post-mortem examination.
Background and Incident
Shanto, a native of Nijbolail village in Hatshepur Union, Sariakandi Upazila, Bogura, was the son of the late Sekendar Ali Pramanik. He lost his right leg in a road accident in 2018 and had been using a prosthetic limb since. Following 5 August 2024, Shanto reportedly went into self-concealment amid legal pressures.
On 4 January 2026, Shanto was reportedly visiting his wife at a beauty parlour near Naruli Agricultural Farm in Bogura city when local BNP-affiliated activists identified him, detained him, and allegedly assaulted him. Police responded to an emergency call and rescued him, taking him to the Sadar police station. On the same day, he was formally arrested under a sabotage and attempted murder case filed by Suraiya Jarin Roni, joint secretary of the Bogura District Women’s League, and subsequently remanded to Bogura District Jail.
Previous Deaths of AL Leaders in Custody
Shanto’s death marks the sixth instance of an Awami League leader dying in Bogura District Jail. The details of previous cases are as follows:
| Name | Age | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Emdadul Haq (Bhuttu) | 52 | Organisational Secretary, Gabtali Southpara Union AL |
| Abdul Matin Mithu | 65 | Member, Gabtali Upazila AL |
| Shahadat Alam Jhunu | 57 | Organisational Secretary, Bogura District AL |
| Abdul Latif | 67 | Treasurer, Shibganj Upazila AL |
| Shahidul Islam Ratan | 58 | General Secretary, Ward 15, Bogura Municipal AL |
| Shahnur Alam Shanto | 60 | Vice-President, Hatshepur Union AL |
Family and Community Response
Shanto’s younger brother, Faruk Mia, revealed that Shanto’s only niece is in the eighth grade at Bogura Biam Model School and College. His death has cast a shadow of grief over his family and local community. Arrangements are underway to receive his body from the Keraniganj Jail authorities in Dhaka.
SI Amit Hasan Mahmud of Bogura Sadar Police Station noted that Shanto had a prosthetic leg reinforced with a rod. During the 4 January incident, he was recognised and assaulted by locals until police intervened. Following directives from higher authorities, he was arrested under the charges submitted by Suraiya Jarin Roni and remanded to jail.