AL leader dies a day after release on bail

A local Awami League leader died at a Dhaka hospital on Wednesday night, a day after being released on bail in what his family described as a critical condition.

Akram Ali, 50, was vice-president of the Baliadangi upazila unit of the Awami League and former chairman of Barabari Union Parishad, a position he had held for four consecutive terms.

Family members alleged that he suffered a cardiac arrest at Thakurgaon Jail on January 24 but did not receive proper treatment.

Rejecting the allegations of negligence, Md Abu Salam Talukdar, jailer of Thakurgaon Jail, said over the phone that Akram was shifted to Rangpur for better treatment on January 25 after falling ill.

The family claimed adequate medical attention was still not provided in Rangpur.

After being released on bail from the High Court on Tuesday, Akram was taken to Dhaka by his relatives on Wednesday morning for advanced treatment.

A family member, requesting anonymity, said Akram’s condition had already deteriorated significantly by then. He died later that night.

Quamrul Huda, senior jail superintendent in Rangpur, told this newspaper that Akram was admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital immediately after he was transferred from Thakurgaon.

He was receiving treatment there under the prison authorities until his release, Quamrul said.

“There’s no scope of alleging negligence in his treatment,” he added.

Bulbul Islam, officer-in-charge of Baliadangi Police Station, told The Daily Star that Akram had been arrested on December 11 last year in connection with an explosives case filed earlier with the station, in which he was initially listed as an unidentified accused. A Thakurgaon court later sent him to jail.

Akram was laid to rest at his family graveyard in Barabari Union yesterday afternoon. Several thousand people attended his namaz-e-janaza and burial, witnesses said.