An arrested leader of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, participated in namaz-e-janaza of his father with shackles in his legs at Mirzaganj upazila in Patuakhali on Saturday.
Md. Nazmul Mridha, Mirzaganj upazila JCD unit joint convener, was released on parole for four hours to attend namaz-e-janaza of his father and he was sent to Patuakhali prison after that, said the prison authorities.
Photos of Nazmul attending the namaz-e-janaza with shackles in legs were circulated on social media.
Patuakhali prison jailer Mostafa Kamal said that the police authorities asked for shackles for security reasons and the jail authorities complied with that.
Nazmul’s father Motaleb Hossain Mridha was a former BNP leader and former chairman of Dauli Sobudkhali union of the upazila. Motaleb died at Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital on Friday night.
The JCD leader was released on parole on Saturday for attending namaz-e-janaza of his father.
Locals said that police removed handcuffs during the prayers at about 3:00pm at Sobudkhali village, but Namzul’s legs remained shackled.
Namzul’s brother Russell Mridha said that the JCD leader was arrested at Sobudkhali village in a sabotage case on December 20, 2023.
Contacted, Mirzaganj police officer-in-charge Hafizur Rahman said that he was on leave and could not say anything about it.
Jailer Mostafa said that Nazmul was sent to the jail by 4:45pm, before the expiry of the parole hours.
