The death toll of imprisoned BNP activists is increasing day by day. BNP claims that 12 leaders and activists of the party and its organisations have died in prison custody in the last three months since October 28 last year. Besides, 18 other activists of BNP and other organisations have been killed due to attacks by the police and the ruling party goons in the ongoing movement. BNP is blaming police torture and negligence of prison authorities for the deaths of party leaders in jails. The party and the families of the deceased activists claim that their relatives died due to medical negligence. The families of many dead leaders are living in agony and distress after losing their only breadwinner.

The leaders associated with the BNP central office state that information is being gathered regarding the leaders and activists of BNP and affiliated organisations nationwide who have been impacted by the movement demanding the government's resignation. The list is being compiled through communication with district leaders.

12 Leaders died in prison

According to information from the central office of BNP, 12 of their leaders and activists have died in prison due to lack of treatment. Most recently, on the night of January 28, Abdus Sattar, the co-organizing secretary of Kalaroa Upazila BNP in Satkhira, died without receiving treatment in the district jail. BNP claimed that he passed away at 8:20 pm that day after falling ill due to prolonged police torture in prison in a false case.

Additionally, on November 1 of last year, Zakir Hossain, the president of the Mokam Union Swechasebak Dal in Burichong Upazila of Comilla South District, died due to police torture during his arrest.

On October 26, Golapur Rahman (Golap Contractor), the vice-president of BNP for No. 5 Mohra Ward of Chandgao police station in Chittagong city, was arrested in front of the BNP central office in Nayapaltan, Dhaka. He later passed away in prison on November 25.

On November 24, Imtiaz Ahmed Bulbul, the BNP leader of Ward No. 39 of Dhaka Metropolitan South, was arrested by the police while he was suffering. On November 30, he fell ill again and was taken to the police hospital, where the doctor declared him dead.

Asaduzzaman Khan Hero, the General Secretary of Ward No. 6 of Kauraid Union in Gazipur's Sreepur, was arrested from Sreepur railway station after a mass meeting in Dhaka on October 28 last year. He died in Kashimpur Jail on December 1.

Monirul Islam (52), the organising secretary of Ward No. 6 of Rajshahi Municipality and former general secretary of Jubo Dal, passed away in Rajshahi Jail on December 11.

Journalist Mahbub Manik, head of the digital department of BNP's media cell and a member of the Dhaka Journalist Union, was arrested by the police from the BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office on October 30. He was later released on November 20 when he became seriously ill. Sadly, he succumbed to his illness on December 15.

On November 27, the police arrested Motibul Mondal, the organising secretary of BNP, Ward No. 2 of Nazirpur Municipality in Naogaon. He later fell ill and passed away on December 20.

Additionally, Shafiuddin Master, the president of the Ward No. 2 BNP of Durgapur Union in Kapasia, Gazipur, was arrested by the police on October 26. He subsequently fell ill and passed away on December 25.

Fazlur Rahman Kajol, the joint convener of Mugda Thana Sramik Dal, fell ill due to police torture after his arrest on October 26. On December 26, he suffered a stroke in prison and passed away. BNP and his family claim that his death was due to negligence and lack of treatment by the Kashimpur prison authorities.

Md. Kamal Hossain Mizan, the co-general secretary of the Khulna Mahanagar Muktijoddha generation party, passed away in Bagerhat District Jail on the morning of January 3 this year while in prison.

Haroon Member, the vice president of Mahmudpur Union BNP in Doha Upazila, was arrested by the police on November 20. He passed away on January 15 while undergoing treatment in the hospital after being released on bail on December 24.

18 died in the movement

During the ongoing protest programmes of BNP, 18 other party leaders died due to police firing and attacks, as well as harassment by ruling party leaders. On the day of BNP's general meeting on October 28 last year, Shamim, the Jubo Dal leader of the Dhaka metropolis, died after being shot by the police and attacked by leaders and activists of the ruling party.

On October 29, after the BNP hartal, Abdur Rashid, the former youth leader of Adabar police station, was killed by being thrown from the roof of an under-construction building on his way home.

On the same day, Renjuara Begum, the wife of a leader of Nagarkanda Union BNP in Faridpur, died of a heart attack when the police searched and ransacked their house.

Journalist Rafiq Bhuiyan, a member of the Dhaka Journalist Union and former executive editor of Sachitra Swadesh, was injured by a tear shell while on duty at the BNP General Assembly on October 28. He succumbed to his injuries on October 29 while undergoing treatment.

During the siege of BNP on October 31, Refayet Ullah, the Chhatra Dal leader of Chaissuti Union in Kuliarchar Upazila of Kishoreganj, and Md. Billal Mia, the president of Union Krishak Dal, lost their lives in police firing.

Dilu Ahmad Zillu, a member of Golapganj Upazila Juba Dal, was killed by a police car during the siege of BNP in Lalbazar of Dakshin Surma Upazila of Sylhet on November 1.

Ashiq Mia, a member of the 7th Ward BNP in Bhairab Municipal Branch of Kishoreganj, passed away on the night of October 31 while undergoing treatment at Bhagalpur Zahirul Islam Medical College Hospital after being injured by police tear shells on the day of BNP's mass meeting on October 28.

Biplab Hasan Bipul, a member of the Srinagar Upazila Swechasebak Dal of Munshiganj, died on November 3 after falling ill due to injuries sustained from police sound grenades and tear shells at the BNP's mass meeting on October 28.

On November 5, police and RAB searched the residence of Sultan Mahmud Chowdhury, the General Secretary of Ukhia Upazila of Cox's Bazar. During the confrontation, three people were shot dead by the police and RAB. Jagir Hossain, the organising secretary of Ward 1 BNP of Jalia Palong Union, died on November 7 while undergoing treatment at Cox's Bazar Hospital.

Riaz, a member of the 1st Ward Swechasebak Dal of Nahata Union of Mohammadpur Upazila of Magura, was beaten to death by local leaders and activists of the ruling party on November 7.

Swapan, the joint convener of volunteers in Gouripur Upazila of Mymensingh, was electrocuted and died inside a pond on November 11 while attempting to escape from the DB police.

On the night of November 18, Kamal Ahmed, the former president of Ward No. 9 of Naogaon Municipality, was hacked to death by leaders and activists of the local ruling party while travelling from Shantahar in a motorbike.

Abdul Matin, a member of Vishalpur Union BNP in Sherpur, Bogra, was beaten to death by local ruling party leaders of Mandail village on the night of November 22.

Forkan Ali, the Jubo Dal President of Khottapara Union in Bogra's Shahjahanpur, died from serious injuries sustained while fleeing from a police chase.

Shahidur Rahman Shaheed, the Jubo Dal Leader of Paikgacha Upazila in Khulna, passed away from a stroke on the night of December 20 after hearing about the death of his father, Md. Yunus Ali Ghazi (70).

Nurul Mostafa Bajal, the elder brother of Ismail Hossain, the Vice President of Chittagong North District Jubo Dal and Vice President of Sitakundu No. 2 Baraiyadhala Union BNP, was shot and hacked to death by the ruling party's MP candidate Mamun on the evening of December 24.

Dr Harunur Rashid, the Joint Secretary of Pagla Thana Pythal Union BNP in Mymensingh, was publicly hacked to death on January 15 this year.