Detained Awami League leader Zakir Hossain Nawab has died whilst undergoing medical treatment at Naogaon General Hospital after falling ill in prison custody. The 58-year-old politician, who served as the Organisational Secretary of the party’s Bogura District unit, passed away at approximately 12:00 pm on Tuesday, 3 November.
Nawab, an accused in a case filed under the Explosives Act, was being held at Naogaon District Jail. According to prison authorities, he complained of severe physical discomfort early in the morning. Recognising the urgency of his condition, jail guards immediately arranged for his transfer to the emergency department of Naogaon General Hospital for urgent medical intervention.
Medical staff at the hospital confirmed that he was in an extremely critical state upon arrival. Dr Rehnuma Munmun, an emergency department physician on duty at Naogaon General Hospital, stated that Nawab was brought to the facility in a deteriorating condition and succumbed to his illness between 11:30 am and 12:00 pm despite attempts by doctors to stabilise him.
Addressing the incident, Ratna Rai, Superintendent of Naogaon District Jail, stated that prison officials were alerted to his death following his emergency admission. She confirmed that Nawab had reported feeling unwell in his cell during the morning, prompting his immediate dispatch to the hospital. However, she noted that the prison authority was still awaiting formal medical reports and official paperwork from the hospital administration regarding the precise cause of death.
The deceased was the son of Abdul Jalil and a resident of Jorgacha village in Sonatola upazila under Bogura district. As a figure within local politics, he held a senior organisational portfolio within the Bogura District Awami League prior to his detention.
In accordance with legal protocols governing deaths in judicial custody, authorities are expected to complete an official inquest and post-mortem examination at the hospital morgue. Following the completion of mandatory legal procedures and official documentation, his body will be handed over to his family for final rites.
