Parole Denied to Detained Student League Leader in Barisal Following Father’s Death

In a development that has prompted significant discourse regarding custodial regulations and administrative discretion, Md. Shahrukh Khan, a leader of the now-proscribed student organisation, the Bangladesh Chhatra League, was denied parole to attend his father’s funeral rites in Barisal. Consequently, the remains of the deceased were transported to the gates of Barisal Central Jail to facilitate a final viewing by the incarcerated son.

Shahrukh Khan, the incumbent president of Ward 15 for the organisation, had been apprehended by law enforcement on the night of Friday, 24 April 2026, at his residence on New Circular Road. Following his arrest, he was remanded to Barisal Central Jail. According to legal records, Khan is currently an accused party in approximately eleven criminal cases; eight of these were initiated following the political transition on 5 August, while a further three were filed subsequent to his recent detention.

Administrative Procedures and Legal Impasse

The prisoner’s father, Abul Bashar Khan, aged 58, succumbed to a myocardial infarction (heart attack) on the morning of Wednesday, 29 April 2026. The elder Khan had been employed as a lineman at the Battala tempo stand. Following the bereavement, the family initiated legal proceedings to secure a temporary release for Shahrukh Khan on compassionate grounds.

Salman Khan Sagar, the brother of the detainee, stated that an official application for parole was submitted to the office of the Deputy Commissioner (DC). The family reported a delay of approximately ninety minutes at the administrative headquarters before being addressed by a magistrate. According to Mr Sagar, they were instructed to proceed to the prison facility with the assurance that instructions would be relayed to the penal authorities.

However, upon arrival at the jail, prison officials reportedly maintained that no formal directives or authorisation had been received from the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Advocate Mizanur Rahman Mintu, the legal counsel representing the student leader, confirmed that while the application for parole was duly filed with the DC, it was ultimately not granted.

Final Rites Conducted via Prison Visitation

Given the denial of the parole request, the family opted to transport the body to the correctional facility. At approximately 15:45, an ambulance carrying the remains of Abul Bashar Khan arrived at the prison gates. Authorities permitted three family members to escort the body into the inner perimeter of the jail.

Reports indicate that Shahrukh Khan was granted a total of five minutes to view his father’s remains within the prison confines. Following this brief encounter, the body was returned to the family for the commencement of funeral proceedings. The first funeral prayer (Janaza) was held at the Gazibari Mosque on New Circular Road following the Asr prayers, after which the deceased was interred at the family burial ground in the Popular area of Korapur Union, Barisal Sadar Upazila.

Administrative Justification

The refusal to grant parole has been attributed to senior administrative oversight. Upama Farisa, the Additional District Magistrate of Barisal, addressed the procedural timeline, noting that the application addressed to the Deputy Commissioner was processed via digital channels as the DC was not physically present in the office at the time.

“An application for parole was received and forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner via WhatsApp,” Magistrate Farisa explained. “Upon reviewing the request, the Deputy Commissioner decided to permit a meeting at the prison gates rather than granting a temporary release. The final decision rested entirely with the DC, and I communicated this outcome to the relatives.”

Efforts to secure a comment from Mohammad Mahbub Kabir, the Jailer of Barisal Central Jail, were unsuccessful as he did not respond to multiple telephonic enquiries. The incident remains a point of contention for the bereaved family, who expressed profound disappointment at the administrative refusal to allow the detainee to participate in the traditional burial rites of his father.