Ex-Minister Dies in Hospital While Handcuffed, Sparking Rights Furor and Negligence Allegations

A photograph of former Industries Minister and freedom fighter Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun lying in a hospital bed with one hand chained to the railing has sparked a wave of outrage across Bangladesh. The 75-year-old politician passed away on Monday (29 September) at 8:10 am while undergoing treatment at the coronary care unit (CCU) of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

The viral image shows an ailing, elderly man struggling for breath as his hand remains cuffed to the bed. Human rights defenders, political observers, and ordinary citizens have condemned the act as a gross violation of human dignity and human rights.

Human rights activist Nur Khan Liton said,

To keep an 80-year-old, dying man chained is inhumane. It is not only an insult to one individual but to human rights itself.

Prison authorities, however, rejected the allegations, calling the image “old” and misleading. Jannat-ul-Farhad, Additional Inspector General (Development) of Prisons, said: “This is misinformation. In CCU wards, there is no scope for handcuffs. As per prison rules, sometimes restraints are used in hospital wards for the safety of inmates.”

Hospital insiders gave a different version. They confirmed that the photograph was taken on 27 September while Humayun was admitted to ward 602 of the Medicine Unit, the day before he was shifted to the ICU.

Humayun, a senior Awami League politician, was arrested on 24 September from his Gulshan residence following the fall of the Awami League government. He had been suffering from multiple health complications while in Dhaka Central Jail.

Allegations of Medical Negligence and “Planned Murder”

The former minister’s death has triggered fresh controversy after his family directly accused senior officials of negligence. His son, Manjurul Majid Mahmud Sadi, alleged that Brigadier General Abu Noman, Director of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), deliberately deprived his father of adequate treatment.

Sadi claimed:

Abu Noman, despite being hospital director, offered no support and deliberately denied my father access to medical facilities. His cruel behavior led to my father’s death.

He further alleged that the director was once a member of the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, which might have influenced his actions.

The family described the death as “a planned killing.” Sadi warned, “One day this murder will be tried in court.”

BSMMU authorities and Brigadier General Abu Noman have yet to issue an official statement in response to the allegations.

Calls for Investigation and Reform

The incident has sparked heated debate across political and social circles. Many argue that chaining a dying patient is not only an abuse of authority but also a violation of international human rights norms. Rights groups have called for an immediate and impartial investigation into both the handcuffing of the former minister and the allegations of medical negligence.

They also urged the state to reform prison and hospital protocols to ensure elderly and sick detainees are treated with dignity in accordance with human rights principles.