Writer Mushtaq Ahmed (53) lost consciousness and died in jail. He was lodged in the Kashimpur High Security Jail in Gazipur after being arrested in a case under the Digital Security Act for an anti-government post on Facebook.
The matter was confirmed to Barta24.com on Thursday (February 25) at 11.45 PM by senior jail super Giashuddin.
He said he lost consciousness at 7:10 pm. He was rushed to the jail hospital. But when his condition deteriorated, he was taken to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital around 8:20 pm.
Sharif Hossain, the doctor on duty at the hospital, told Barta24.com at 11:55 pm that a 'Brought Dead' body was brought to the hospital around 10 pm. That means he died before he was brought to the hospital.
Regarding the cause of death, he said the cause of death was never known in the ‘Brought Dead’ case. The body is kept in the morgue for autopsy. The real cause will be known after the autopsy.
Jail Superintendent further said that the deceased Mushtaq Ahmed is the son of Abdur Razzak of Choto Balapur area under Araihazar upazilla of Naryangaj district. He never complained of any physical ailment before he died. He was lodged in Keraniganj Central Jail from May 6, 2020. He was transferred to Kashimpur High Security Jail on August 20 last year.
In case of such death (Brought Dead) the superintendent of the prison immediately writes to the local police station for appropriate action. Later, the police filed a case of unnatural death (UD) based on the death certificate obtained from the hospital. The body of the deceased was taken to the forensic department for autopsy soon after the UD case. Earlier, an inquest report was prepared. These processes are ongoing.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Mushtaq Ahmed on May 5 from Lalmatia in the capital for posting anti-government posts on Facebook.
On May 5 last year, RAB-3 warrant officer Abu Bakar Siddique filed the case against 11 people, including writer Mushtaq Ahmed at Ramna police station. The case named 11 people, including cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, Netra News editor Swedish-Bangladeshi journalist Tasnim Khalil, journalist Shahed Alam and blogger Asif Mohiuddin.
The case alleges that the accused posted various posts on the Facebook page called 'I am Bangladeshi', including propaganda or rumors to tarnish the image or reputation of the state or to spread confusion which creates confusion among the people and helps deteriorate law and order.