Staff Reporter :Former BNP MP and the party’s assistant organising secretary Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu died on Sunday. He was “brought dead” to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) from Rajshahi Central Jail at noon.Brig Gen AKM Nasiruddin, director of the hospital, said that Pintu, a convict in the BDR carnage case, was taken to the RMCH after he complained of chest pain. The on duty doctor declared him dead around 12:20 pm. Pintu died at the age of 48.Replying to questions, AKM Nasiruddin said that Pintu might have died in jail or on way to hospital.Dr Rais Uddin, head of RMCH’s Cardiology Department, said that Pintu might have died of cardiac arrest before he was taken to the hospital. He, however, said that the doctors could not provide treatment to him on Saturday due to obstruction of the jail authorities. “The jail authorities sent a letter to the RMCH’s director seeking specialised doctor for Pintu’s treatment. Accordingly, I went to the jail, but the Senior Jail Super did not allow to provide treatment,” he said. Senior Jail Super Shafiqul Islam Khan said that they did not allow the doctor, as Pintu was treated earlier at the RMCH. Denying allegation against the jail authorities, he said that Pintu had been suffering from heart problems, kidney disease, diabetes and blood pressure. BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has blamed the negligence of the prison authorities for the premature death of her party’s leader. “The jail authorities did not allow Pintu to receive proper treatment. They sent the ailing leader to Rajshahi from Narayanganj on April 24 violating the order of High Court. He was admitted to the hospital on April 26, two days later. For this, he faced the premature death,” she said in a statement signed by BNP’s international affairs secretary Dr Asaduzzaman Ripon, who is the current spokesperson of the party. The BNP chief protested and condemned the inhuman behaviour of the jail authorities. She expressed deep shock at the death of Pintu and conveyed her sympathy to the bereaved family members. She recalled the contributions of Pintu in the politics and the social welfare. She also recalled his valiant role during the movement of anti-autocrat regime.
