Hindu leader of Sheikh Hasina's party dies in police custody
What's the story
Proloy Chaki, a prominent Awami League leader and musician, died on Sunday at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital in Bangladesh. He was 60 years old. He was lodged in Pabna District Jail when he passed away. "Chaki was suffering from...issues related to diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart problems. Because of this, the prison doctors first sent him to Pabna Sadar Hospital, and from there he was referred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on Friday night," according to Pabna Jail superintendent.
Allegations
Family accuses administration of negligence
However, his family has accused the administration of negligence and denial of medical care during his detention. Chaki's son, Sony Chaki, alleged that the family was not officially informed about his father's deteriorating health. "His condition worsened in jail, but the authorities did not officially inform us," he said. The family also claimed that despite not being named in any case at the time of arrest, Chaki was taken into custody on December 16 last year.
Profile
He served as cultural affairs secretary
Proloy was a member of the Awami League and served as the cultural affairs secretary for the Pabna district unit. Following a student-led uprising in Bangladesh in 2024, and after Awami League president and then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina went into exile in India, a wave of arrests of Awami League leaders and activists began across the country. During the crackdown, Proloy was arrested.
Legacy
Chaki's political and cultural contributions
He was apprehended from his Dilalpur home in Pabna on December 16 of last year and later arrested in a case involving an explosion on August 4, 2024. He had remained in Pabna jail since then. Apart from his political role, Chaki was a popular musician in the 1990s. He was also a music director, teacher, and cultural organizer and served as secretary of Shree Shree Ram Krishna Shebashrom, Pabna.