Former minister Ramesh Chandra Sen dies in jail

Former minister for water resources and ex-member of parliament (MP) for Thakurgaon-1 Ramesh Chandra Sen has died.

He fell ill at Dinajpur District Jail at around 9:00 am on Saturday.

The former minister was then taken to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, where the physician on duty declared him dead at 9:30am. The matter was confirmed by Dinajpur District Jail Superintendent Farhad Sarkar.

Ramesh Chandra Sen was born on 30 April 1940 in Ruhia Union of Thakurgaon Sadar upazila. His father was Kshitindra Mohan Sen and his mother Balashwari Sen. He was 86.

Jail Superintendent Farhad Sarkar said, “Ramesh Chandra Sen was brought to Dinajpur District Jail on 17 August. He was a division prisoner here and had been ill even before being transferred to the jail. When his condition suddenly deteriorated at around 9:00 am on Saturday, he was taken to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital. We later received the news of his death.”

Masud Rana, ward master at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, said, “Ramesh Chandra Sen was brought to the hospital in the morning in an ailing condition. At that time, the on-duty physician Anupam Pal declared him brought dead at 9:29 am.”

Ramesh Chandra Sen was elected to parliament multiple times from Thakurgaon-1 and served as a presidium member of the Awami League, as well as former minister of food and water resources.

He was arrested following the student–public uprising in 2024 and had since been held at Dinajpur District Jail.