DHAKA: Renowned Hindu musician and senior Awami League official Proloy Chaki has died in police custody in Bangladesh. His family members accused the prison administration of denying the 60-year-old the necessary medical care and refuted the police’s claim that it was a “natural death”, reports Ahsan Tasnim.Proloy – held in a blast related to the 2024 anti-discrimination student movement that evolved into the “July Uprising” and led to the removal of Sheikh Hasina as prime minister – died on Sunday evening. The culture secretary of the party’s Pabna unit, Proloy, was picked up by police from his home in Dilalpur in Pabna on December 16 and was later reported under arrest.Son: Proloy Chaki arrested without trial in Bangladesh Proloy Chaki’s death comes at a time when Bangladesh is suffering from relentless violence against minorities, particularly Hindus, as well as groups, parties and institutions allied to the Awami League. Since the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh on December 18, seven Hindus have died and minority properties have been targeted by arsonists. Pabna prison warden MD Omar Faruk said Proloy suffered from several health complications, including diabetes and heart disease.
“He suffered a cardiac arrest and was initially rushed to Pabna General Hospital on Friday. Later, as his condition worsened, he was shifted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital where he died around 9pm on Sunday,” Omar said, adding that “it is a natural death”. Proloy’s son Sony Chaki said: “My father was arrested, although no name was given at the time. He had a long history of diabetes and heart disease. His condition deteriorated in prison, but the authorities did not officially inform us.” “We rushed to the hospital after others informed us, but he was not given proper treatment, which led to his death,” he said. Prison director Omar has denied the charges. Apart from political identity, Bhaskar Chowdhury, secretary of Pabna Sammilito Shangskritik Jote, said, “Proloy was a renowned singer and music director. He was also secretary of Shree Shree Ram Krishna Shebashrom.” Proloy was a prominent cultural activist of the 1990s, he said.
