A BNP activist has died allegedly in police custody at Bangra Bazar Police Station in Cumilla’s Muradnagar upazila on Thursday night.

The deceased was identified as Sheikh Jewel, 45, son of late Sheikh Golam Sarwar of Sheikh Bari in Bangra village. He ran a Wi-Fi business and was known locally as an active BNP member.

According to police, he felt chest pain while in custody and died after being taken to a hospital.

Shilpi Begum, wife of Jewel on Thursday morning he went to collect Wi-Fi bills but was detained by police. 

She said, "When I went to the police station, they didn’t allow me to see him at first. After several requests, I met him. He looked fine and told me he was innocent. He asked me to get him released. Later in the evening, I was informed he had been taken to the hospital. When I arrived, he was already dead. Police killed my husband."

Dr Sirajul Islam Manik, Muradnagar Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer, said police brought Jewel to the hospital at 8:50pm. "After tests, we found him dead."

Denying the allegations, Bangra Bazar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mahfuzur Rahman said, “The claim of death in custody is not true. Sheikh Jewel was a drug addict. While in custody, he told of chest pain. He was quickly taken to the hospital, where he died.”

The body has been sent to Cumilla Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy, he said, adding an investigation is underway.

MSK/