A senior Bangladeshi lawyer, Abdul Latif, former Public Prosecutor of Satkhira Judge Court, reportedly died on 25 May 2025 after suffering a stroke while in jail custody, triggering sharp condemnation from an international human rights organisation. The death has reignited concerns over state accountability, pre-trial detention conditions, and political targeting in Bangladesh.

What Happened

According to prison authorities, Latif suffered a stroke while in custody and died on 25 May 2025. He had been arrested along with his son, Aminul Islam Rasel, on 12 December 2025 by the Satkhira District Detective Branch (DB) Police from the Bohera area of Khulna City Corporation. Reports indicate he had gone into hiding following the July 2024 demonstrations and was previously associated with the Awami League.

Rights Body's Condemnation

Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a leading international human rights organisation, strongly condemned the death, alleging that Latif had been held for over five months without trial and with no visible progress in the judicial process against him. The organisation stated that detaining a person for a prolonged period without proving allegations and without an effective judicial process is 'contrary to the fundamental principles of justice.'

Citing family members and colleagues, JMBF alleged that Latif endured 'inhumane prison conditions, suffering from poor-quality food, inadequate sanitation facilities, unhealthy surroundings, unsuitable accommodation, and lack of proper medical care.' It further alleged that timely medical treatment was not provided even after he fell seriously ill.

A Pattern, Not an Isolated Incident

Shahanur Islam, Founder President of JMBF and a prominent human rights lawyer, said in a statement: 'The death of senior lawyer Abdul Latif in Satkhira prison is not an isolated incident. Rather, it is part of a continuing pattern since the fall of the Awami League government, where Awami League leaders and activists have been arrested in one false case after another, detained for months without trial, and subjected to deaths in custody due to poor-quality food, inadequate sanitation, unhealthy prison conditions, unsuitable accommodation, and lack of proper medical care.'

JMBF warned that a growing 'culture of political retaliation, false cases, and extrajudicial harassment' across Bangladesh is undermining the rule of law and eroding public confidence in the justice system. The body stressed that depriving citizens of fundamental rights on the basis of political identity or ideology violates democratic values and constitutional governance.

Key Demands

JMBF called on Bangladeshi authorities to immediately constitute an independent, impartial, and judicial inquiry commission into Latif's death. It also urged authorities to identify and hold accountable those responsible for failures in his treatment, security, and human rights conditions while in custody.

This comes amid broader international scrutiny of Bangladesh's post-July 2024 political transition and the treatment of individuals associated with the previous government. Human rights groups have flagged multiple cases of prolonged pre-trial detention and deteriorating prison conditions in the months since.