Bangladeshi singer Proloy Chaki dies in custody

DHAKA: Bangladeshi singer Proloy Chaki, who was lodged in the Pabna District Jail, has passed away. He died on Sunday at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital while in custody.

“Proloy Chaki was suffering from severe issues related to diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart problems. Because of this, the prison doctors first sent him to Pabna Sadar Hospital, and from there he was referred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on Friday night,” Omor Faruque, Superintendent of Pabna district jail, confirmed Proloy’s demise over the phone.

“He passed away after 9 pm on Sunday while still under medical treatment at the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital,” Faruque added.

#Bangladesh | Veteran Bangladeshi singer and Awami League leader Prolay Chaki died in custody, prompting allegations from his family of negligence and denial of medical care.

Chaki, a popular singer of the 1980s who frequently performed on Bangladesh Television (BTV) alongside… pic.twitter.com/ITp0r2wW2z

— DD News (@DDNewslive) January 12, 2026

Proloy was affiliated with the Awami League, and he also served as the cultural affairs secretary for the Awami League’s Pabna district unit.

In 2024, following a movement led by the students in Bangladesh, and after the Awami League president and then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina went into exile in India, a wave of arrests of Awami League leaders and activists began across the country. During that very crackdown, Proloy was arrested, and several cases were filed against him.

The family has alleged that there was negligence in his treatment while he was in jail, local media reported. However, the jail super denied the allegations. (ANI)