Former Bangladesh minister Ramesh Chandra Sen dies in custody, raising custody-death concerns ahead of election

Dhaka [Bangladesh], February 7 (ANI): Veteran politician Ramesh Chandra Sen, a senior leader of the Bangladesh Awami League and former Minister of Water Resources, died on Saturday morning while in custody at Dinajpur District Jail, officials and local reports confirmed.
His death, coming just days before the nation's scheduled general election on February 12, 2026, has intensified scrutiny of the treatment of detained politicians and accusations of custodial neglect.
Sen, 83, fell ill inside the jail early Saturday and was rushed to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead at approximately 9:29 am (local time), according to Dinajpur jail authorities. Jail Superintendent Farhad Sarkar told reporters that Sen's body will be released to his family after all legal formalities are completed.
The seasoned politician had been detained since 16 August 2024, when Thakurgaon police arrested him. A court ordered his transfer first to Thakurgaon District Jail and then to Dinajpur, where he faced three cases including a murder charge tied to the political unrest that followed a mass uprising against the government of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Born on 30 April 1940 in Ruhia Union of Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila, Sen represented the Thakurgaon-1 constituency in the Jatiya Sangsad multiple times. He was also a presidium member of the Awami League and had won his latest parliamentary seat in the 2024 general election, before the party was later barred from participating in politics under the current interim administration.
The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus and overseeing the electoral process, has faced international and domestic criticism over human rights issues. Opposition voices argue that high-profile deaths in custody, particularly of former Awami League officials, underline systemic problems and raise questions about medical care standards for detainees.
Sen's passing comes amid a politically charged climate in Bangladesh, where the Awami League has been excluded from the upcoming polls, and rival parties vie for dominance. His legacy as a senior political figure and long-serving parliamentarian ensures that his death will continue to be a focal point in discussions about justice, governance, and the rule of law in the country. (ANI)