Shamsuzzaman DABLU, General Secretary of Chuadanga’s Jibannagar Municipal unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has died while in the custody of the Bangladesh Army. According to reports, he passed away at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Monday, 12 January. His body is currently at the Jibannagar Upazila Health Complex.
The military has claimed that weapons were recovered from Dablu during the operation. Details regarding the circumstances of his death remain contested.
Local BNP leaders and activists gathered in front of Jibannagar Upazila Health Complex, reporting that Dablu was taken into custody around 10:00 p.m. from his business, Hafiza Pharmacy, located near the health complex. News of his death was received around 12:30 a.m.
“My brother has been killed,” said Shariful Islam Kajol, Upazila Forest Officer and Dablu’s sibling, expressing grief and outrage over the incident.
Rimon, Secretary of the Upazila Chhatra Dal, alleged that four of their relatives were subjected to severe torture on Saturday night, sustaining significant injuries.
The Army has not provided further public comment regarding these allegations beyond their statement about the recovery of arms from Dablu.
Following the news, prominent political figures including Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu, President of Chuadanga District BNP, BNP nominee for Chuadanga-2, and President of BGEA, visited the health complex. He urged the gathered crowd to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their own hands. He also stated that Dablu’s family would file a legal case concerning the incident.
Protests erupted outside the health complex on the night of 12 January. Hundreds of local residents blocked roads and set tyres ablaze in anger and grief. As of 9:00 a.m., Dablu’s body remained under military guard inside the facility.
Timeline of Events:
| Time/Date | Event Description |
|---|---|
| 10:00 p.m., 11 Jan | Dablu reportedly detained from Hafiza Pharmacy by Army personnel |
| 12:30 a.m., 12 Jan | News of Dablu’s death reaches local BNP leaders |
| 1:00 a.m., 12 Jan | Dablu officially pronounced dead in Army custody |
| Night of 12 Jan | Hundreds of locals protest outside health complex, blocking roads and burning tyres |
| 9:00 a.m., 12 Jan | Dablu’s body remains under Army guard inside Jibannagar Upazila Health Complex |
The incident has escalated political tensions in Chuadanga, raising questions over the conduct of law enforcement and the safety of political activists in the area.