Four Awami League leaders have died in Bogura jail custody in the 28 days till yesterday.

Abdul Matin Mithu, 65, former chairman of Durgahata Union Parishad in Bogura's Gabtoli upazila and organising secretary of upazila AL unit's proposed committee, died around 9:00am yesterday.

He fell ill inside the jail around 3:30am and was undergoing treatment at the Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, Jailer Syed Shah Sharif told The Daily Star.

Asked about illness, Sharif said he died of a sudden cardiac arrest.

Mithu was arrested on November 3 in relation to a murder case as well as a explosives case and sent to Bogura district jail. According to jail authorities, the cases were filed after August 5.

Meanwhile, Shahidul Islam Ratan, general secretary of AL's Bogura town ward-14 unit, and Abdul Latif, treasurer of AL's Shibganj upazila unit, died in jail custody on November 11 and 25 respectively.

Shahadat Alam Jhunu, organising secretary of Bogura district AL and former principal of Bogura Police Lines School and College, also died in jail custody on November 26.

The jailer said that some of the AL leaders, who died while in jail custody, had previous illnesses. According to the jailer, the AL leaders became mentally ill after arriving in jail due to the new environment.

Something to note is that despite having a post for a permanent medical officer, the jail has not appointed one. As such, a doctor from the civil surgeon's office is called to visit the jail premises when someone becomes seriously ill.