Former Bangladesh minister and senior Awami League leader Ramesh Chandra Sen died in custody at Dinajpur District Jail on Saturday morning, according to local media reports.
The veteran politician’s death comes ahead of a national general election scheduled for February 12, 2026. His death has reportedly intensified scrutiny of the treatment of detained politicians and allegations of neglect of custody.
Sen, aged 83, reportedly fell ill in prison early this morning and was taken to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead at around 9:29 a.m. local time, Bangladesh media The Daily Star reported.
Who was Ramesh Chandra Sen?
Ramesh Chandra Sen was born on 30 April 1940 in Ruhija Union of Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila and represented Thakurgaon-1 constituency in Jatiya Sangsad several times.
He was also the former Minister of Water Resources of Bangladesh.
The 83-year-old was a presidium member of the Awami League and won its last parliamentary seat in the 2024 general election before the party was later banned from politics under the interim government led by Muhammed Yunus.
What were the charges against him?
Ramesh Chandra Sen was in custody since 16 August 2024 after he was arrested by the Thakurgaon police. After his arrest, the court ordered his transfer first to Thakurgaon District Jail and later to Dinajpur District Jail.
He faced three cases, including a murder charge linked to the political unrest that followed a mass uprising against the government of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus and overseeing the election has faced international and domestic criticism over human rights. Opposition voices say the high-profile deaths in custody, particularly of former Awami League officials, highlight systemic problems and raise questions about standards of medical care for detainees, news channel PTI reported.
Sen’s death comes amid a politically charged climate in Bangladesh, where the Awami League has been barred from the upcoming elections and rival parties are vying for supremacy.
Bangladesh election dates
Voting will be held on February 12 from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm, according to the Dhaka Tribune.
The campaign started on January 22nd and will continue until 7.30am on February 10th.
Election observers from the European Union said the vote would be “the biggest democratic process of 2026,” AFP reported earlier.
