Human chain formed to protest death of lawyer burned in jail

A human chain has been formed in Panchagarh, protesting the death of a lawyer who succumbed to his injuries after being burned inside Panchagarh jail.

The human chain and protest rally were held near Panchagarh Central Shaheed Minar on Friday.

Advocate Polash Kumar Ray, 36, died in a fire inside Panchagarh jail on March 26.

Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigosthi, the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance, the Communist Party of Bangladesh—among others—expressed their solidarity with the spirit of the event.

Polash was a member of the Dhaka Bar Association and had formerly worked in the legal department of Kohinoor Chemical Company Limited.

He was also the founder and general secretary of the Bangladesh National Hindu Student Grand Alliance.

Panchagarh Press Club President Safiqul Alam said: “If there is anything unlawful involved with his [Polash's] sudden demise, the authorities should bring it under the law by investigation.”

Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigosthi President Shafiqul Islam said: “An investigation should be launched to find out what happened.”

Advocate Polash allegedly made disparaging remarks about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a speech at a human chain on March 25.

Razib Rana, a local resident, later filed a case against Polash, accusing him of making contemptuous remarks about the prime minister. 

On March 26, police arrested Polash and a court sent him to jail. The same day, Polash burned in the washroom of the jail’s medical centre.

He was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for better treatment, where he died on April 30.