A leader from the local Awami League passed away at a hospital in Dhaka on Wednesday night, a day after being granted bail while in a critical state, according to his family. Akram Ali, aged 50, served as the vice-president of the Awami League unit in Baliadangi upazila and was a former chairman of Barabari Union Parishad for four consecutive terms.
His family claimed that Akram suffered a heart attack at Thakurgaon Jail on January 24 without receiving proper medical care. However, the jailer of Thakurgaon Jail, Md Abu Salam Talukdar, denied any negligence and stated that Akram was transferred to Rangpur for advanced treatment on January 25 after falling ill.
Despite being moved to Rangpur, the family alleged that Akram did not receive adequate medical attention. Following his release on bail from the High Court on Tuesday, Akram was taken to Dhaka for further treatment on Wednesday, where his condition had significantly worsened. He passed away later that night.
Quamrul Huda, senior jail superintendent in Rangpur, confirmed that Akram was promptly admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital upon transfer from Thakurgaon and received treatment under prison authorities until his release. He emphasized that there was no basis for alleging negligence in his medical care.
Akram had been arrested on December 11 in connection with an explosives case filed at Baliadangi Police Station, where he was initially listed as an unidentified accused. A Thakurgaon court subsequently remanded him to jail. His funeral took place at his family’s graveyard in Barabari Union, with thousands of people attending his namaz-e-janaza and burial ceremony.