The mysterious death of a convict, serving a 10-year term, in Barisal Central Jail has stirred controversies with the deceased person’s kin snubbing authority’s account of his demise.

According to the prison authorities, the convict, 40-year-old Kabir Sikder, hanged himself on Friday (Mar 1) afternoon.

The family of the deceased, however, claimed that Sikder was killed and accused the authorities of covering it up by calling it a suicide.

They will seek legal assistance over the incident, said the family

Jailer of the district prison Md Yunus said, “Prison guards started to look for Kabir when he wasn’t anywhere to be seen. He was later found around 1pm hanging from the rafter of a kitchen store room in the Division building.

“He was still alive when he was rushed to the hospital. Judging his condition the jail infirmary doctors immediately moved him to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital where he was declared dead by Dr Amirul Islam, who was on emergency duty.”

Yunus, however, added said that he is not sure himself if this was a suicide.

“We can only be certain once we have the autopsy report,” he said.

The division building, where Sikder was found had been abandoned because no convicts with divisional facility entered the jail in the past 7, 8 years, according to Yunus.

Rejecting the jailer’s account, Sikder’s family members including his elder brother Razzak Sikder said they got to know via various sources that “He was strangled with a towel which was being pulled from both sides” causing him to suffocate to death.

“We will seek legal help,” said Razzak.

The emergency unit doctor Islam, who pronounced him dead, said, “The convict died before he was brought to the hospital. Those who brought the body here told me it was a suicide.”

“I’m not certain whether it was a suicide or not. The autopsy will reveal the truth,” he added.

Senior Jail Super of the Barisal prison, Prasanta Kumar Banik said, “Necessary measures will be taken if we receive any allegations of negligence in duty.”

Banik, however added that he doesn’t believe the convict was tortured.

Barisal’s Deputy Commissioner SM Azizur Rahman said, “We heard a convict committed suicide. Don’t know any further details. We will look into it.”

According to prison sources, Sikder was convicted in absentia in October 2017 over theft and mugging charges. He was arrested from Pirojpur’s Vandaria Upazila the following month and later transferred to Barisal jail from the prison in Bhola.