Dhaka, June 22 (AHN) As custodial deaths of Awami League members continue to rise in Bangladesh, a local activist of the party's student wing, Chhatra League, died in police custody in the Faridpur district, local media reported.

The deceased, identified as 28-year-old Mirza Ishtiaq Ahmed Pranto, was detained by the police Detective Branch (DB) in Madhukhali upazila of Faridpur on June 20. He died on Sunday while undergoing treatment at Faridpur Medical College Hospital.

His family has accused police personnel of beating him, alleging that the assault led to his death, leading Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo reported.

Ishtiaq's mother, Khadija Akhter, broke down in tears and said, “For what crime was my healthy, innocent son taken, tortured, and killed in DB custody? I seek justice for this murder.”

Meanwhile, Dhaka-based rights group Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) expressed grave concern over the death of Chhatra League activist Ishtiaq in police custody and urged for a judicial investigation into the incident.

In a statement issued, ASK called on the Bangladeshi authorities to carry out an impartial inquiry to ascertain the actual cause of the death and bring those responsible to justice.

The rights group also demanded the release of the complete CCTV footage to ensure transparency, along with adequate security and legal aid for the victim's family and appropriate legal action against those found responsible, Bangladesh's 'Business Standard' newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, condemning the incident, the Awami League accused the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government of using the state machinery to “target and eliminate” leaders and activists of the party and its affiliated bodies.

"Under any government, the responsibility of law enforcement agencies is to uphold the law, not to create fear. When a citizen dies under state custody or shortly after being taken into custody under suspicious circumstances, it cannot simply be dismissed as a death. It raises serious questions of accountability and points to what appears to be a deliberate killing," the Awami League stated.

"Political differences may exist, but no government has the right to take away the life of a citizen. The BNP government must remember that no matter how powerful a state may be, it can never place itself above accountability," it added.

Stressing that justice would one day be served for the killings of Awami League members, the party said that the duty of the police and administrative authorities is to “uphold the rule of law, not to implement the agenda of any political party.”