Bangladesh Hindu Musician Dies in Police Custody Amid Controversy
Renowned Hindu musician and senior Awami League functionary Proloy Chaki has died while in police custody in Bangladesh. His family members strongly accuse the prison administration of denying him necessary medical care. They completely reject the police claim that his death was natural.
Arrest and Death Details
Proloy Chaki, aged 60, passed away on Sunday night. Police had picked him up from his house in Pabna's Dilalpur area on December 16. Authorities later showed him as formally arrested. He was being held in connection with a blast case linked to the 2024 anti-discrimination student movement. This movement eventually grew into the 'July Uprising' which led to Sheikh Hasina's ouster as Prime Minister.
Proloy served as the cultural affairs secretary for the Awami League's Pabna unit. His death occurs during a period of intense violence against minorities in Bangladesh, particularly targeting Hindus. Since the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh on December 18, seven Hindus have died. Arsonists have also targeted properties belonging to minority communities.
Conflicting Accounts of the Death
Pabna jail superintendent Md Omar Faruk stated that Proloy had been suffering from multiple health complications. These included diabetes and heart disease. According to Omar, Proloy suffered a cardiac arrest. He was first taken to Pabna General Hospital on Friday. As his condition worsened, authorities shifted him to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. He died there around 9 pm on Sunday. The jail superintendent firmly maintains that "it is a natural death."
Proloy's son, Sony Chaki, presents a dramatically different story. He claims his father was arrested despite not being named in any official case at the time. "My father had been suffering from diabetes and heart disease for a long time," Sony said. "His condition worsened significantly while he was in jail. The authorities did not officially inform us about his deteriorating health."
Sony Chaki further explained, "We rushed to the hospital only after being informed by other people. He did not receive proper medical treatment, which directly led to his death." Jail superintendent Omar has categorically rejected all these allegations from the family.
Proloy Chaki's Cultural Legacy
Beyond his political identity, Proloy Chaki was a respected cultural figure. Bhaskar Chowdhury, secretary of Pabna Sammilito Shangskritik Jote, highlighted his contributions. "Proloy was a renowned singer and music director," Chowdhury said. "He had also served as secretary of Shree Shree Ram Krishna Shebashrom."
Chowdhury noted that Proloy was a prominent cultural activist during the 1990s. His death has raised serious questions about the treatment of detainees and minority figures in Bangladesh. The incident adds to growing concerns about violence and discrimination against Hindu communities in the country.
