The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

BNP leader and Ward Commissioner Mohammad Qaiyum Khan died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) yesterday morning while in custody. He was 45.

He left behind his wife, three daughters and a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death

Commissioner of Ward number 16 under Kafrul thana in Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) and Cultural Secretary of Dhaka City BNP, Qaiyum had been detained in Dhaka Central Jail from January 12 last year.

His body was handed over to his family members after autopsy at the DMCH.

His family members complained that Commissioner Qaiyum died of physical and mental torture in the prison, while BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain and DCC Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, who rushed to the DMCH to see the body, demanded a high-powered enquiry into his death.

DCC Commissioners Quazi Abul Bashar, Shamsul Huda, Abdul Latif, Sajjad Zahir, Haji Liaqat, Anwar Hossain Bir Pratik, Ahsan Ullah Hasan, Azizullah Aziz, Mohammad Mohan, MA Samad, Mokbul Islam Tipu, Atiq Ullah Atiq, Abul Khayer Bablu, Mir Hossain Miru, Atiqul Islam Matin, ADM Badsha, Mozammel Hossain Mukta, Mozammel Hossain Sikder, Bazlul Basit Anju, Hazi Rafiq, Abdul Majid and Ariful Islam also visited DMCH to see the deceased.

DIG (Prisons) Major Shamsul Haider Siddiqui told journalists that Qaiyum Khan suddenly fell down on the ground in the jail and became unconscious at about 7:45am.

"After checking his physical condition by the jail doctors, Qaiyum Khan was taken to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead at about 8:30am," he said.

However, family members of the deceased Commissioner alleged that he died at the central jail at about 4:30am due to physical and mental torture by the jail authority.

Asked about his family's allegation, the DIG (Prisons) said family members of the deceased did not want to have an autopsy on his body, but "We are doing the autopsy to see whether it is a natural death or not."

Qaiyum Khan was buried at his family graveyard after namaz-e-Janaza in front of Tamannan Complex at Kafrul in the city last night.

Terming his death mysterious, BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain expressed deep concern about the fate of other detained party leaders, who, he claimed, were tortured inside the prison.

Demanding a high-powered probe into the death of the Ward Commissioner, he said, "The Government should inform the people as to why he died in custody."

Khandaker Delwar said Qaiyum was detained illegally as he was released on bail by the High Court early this month.

He said this while talking to journalists at DMCH, where he went to see the deceased.

The BNP Secretary General stayed at the hospital for sometimes and consoled the bereaved family members.

Talking to journalists at DMCH, Dhaka City BNP President Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka demanded of the Government to conduct a thorough enquiry into the whole affairs beginning from the arrest of Commissioner Qaiyum, who, he said, was detained without any specific case.

He said the High Court on January 10 this year released the Kaiyum on bail but he was rearrested from the jail gate immediately after the release.

"I demand to higher authorities of this Government to conduct a detail enquiry into the whole affairs unto Commissioner Qaiyum's death beginning from his arrest," Mayor Khoka said.

He also demanded of the Government to let the people know as to why Kaiyum Khan was rearrested after his release by the High Court order and how and why he had died while in custody.

Mayor Khoka and Dhaka City BNP General Secretary Abdus Salam, in a joint statement, last night expressed deep shock at the death of Qaiyum, who was also the Vice-president of Kafrul thana BNP.