Dhaka, December 21, 2025 — Washiqur Rahman Babu, former president of Badda Thana unit of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, has died while in prison custody, officials confirmed on Sunday.
Assistant Inspector General of Prisons Jannatul Farhad said Washiqur collapsed and lost consciousness at the gate of Kashimpur Central Jail-2 while being handed over to a police team for interrogation.
“After his remand was approved in a case, a police team arrived to take him into custody for questioning. At around 4:15 pm, while he was being transferred, he suddenly became unconscious at the jail gate,” Farhad said.
Washiqur was immediately taken to Tajuddin Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
He had been arrested in September and transferred to Kashimpur Jail-2 on September 27. At the time of his death, he was serving as youth and sports secretary of the Badda Thana Awami League.
According to a former Chhatra League leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Washiqur was detained by members of the public on September 24 in Dhaka’s Panthapath area while he was allegedly participating in a sudden procession. The source claimed he was subjected to mob beating before being handed over to Kalabagan police.
“He was seriously injured at the time. It is likely that he did not receive proper medical treatment after his arrest,” the former leader alleged.
The incident has once again raised concerns over detainee safety, custodial health care, and the handling of injured suspects within the prison and law enforcement system.
Authorities have not yet announced whether an inquiry will be launched into the circumstances surrounding Washiqur’s death.
