A leader of the Awami League's youth wing, Jubo League, died in Chattogram Central Jail on 25 June 2025, just days after another party activist allegedly died following torture in police custody, according to local media reports. The incident has intensified scrutiny over custodial deaths of opposition members in Bangladesh.

What Happened to Nurul Alam

Nurul Alam, the deceased Jubo League leader, fell ill inside Chattogram Central Jail on Wednesday, according to jail authorities. He was rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Nurul had been arrested on 23 June 2025 — just two days before his death — in connection with a case registered under the Explosive Substances Act at Satkania Police Station, originally filed in 2024, according to Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo.

Awami League Accuses BNP Government

Condemning the death, the Awami League accused the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government of converting prisons into 'death traps,' drawing explicit comparisons with conditions allegedly prevalent during the rule of BNP founder and former President Ziaur Rahman.

'A prison is not supposed to be a person's final destination. When a healthy individual taken into state custody returns dead within a short period of time, it is natural for people to question whether this was a killing. Once again, the BNP government has turned prisons into death traps, reminiscent of what occurred under Ziaur Rahman's rule,' the Awami League stated.

The party further alleged that a succession of prison deaths and bodies recovered from state custody — combined with what it described as the continued silence of those in power, from the earlier Muhammad Yunus-led interim government to the current administration under Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman — reflects a deeply worrying pattern. 'Suppressing opposition voices through arrests, intimidation, and fear can never be the language of democracy,' the party noted.

International Human Rights Body Raises Alarm

Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), an international human rights organisation, strongly condemned what it described as the 'mysterious death' of Nurul in custody, noting that he died within a day of his arrest.

Shahanur Islam, founder president of JMBF and a prominent human rights lawyer, said the death was not an isolated incident but part of a continuing pattern that reportedly began under the previous interim government and has persisted under the current administration. He alleged that members, leaders, and supporters of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations have faced arbitrary arrests, with a growing number allegedly dying in police and prison custody without meaningful accountability.

'Such incidents seriously undermine the rule of law, human rights, and public confidence in the justice system. The state must establish the truth behind this death, hold those responsible accountable, and ensure justice for the victim's family,' Islam said.

A Pattern Under Scrutiny

This is not the first such incident in recent weeks. Nurul's death came shortly after another Awami League activist allegedly died following torture in police custody, triggering widespread condemnation. Critics argue that the frequency of such deaths signals a systemic failure of custodial oversight rather than isolated lapses. The BNP government has not issued a public response to the latest allegations as of the time of reporting.