Two inmates of Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj died while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Saturday.
The deceased were identified as Rafiqul Islam, 59, son of Saidur Rahman of the Natun Bari area under Kabirhat Police Station in Noakhali, and Mehedi Hasan Kazi, 18, an SSC examinee from Madaripur.
Mehedi Hasan died of dengue, while Rafiqul Islam is suspected to have suffered a stroke.
Prison guard Md Sahabul Islam said Mehedi Hasan, son of Mohammad Faruk Kazi of Uttar Kazipara village under Shibchar Police Station in Madaripur, contracted dengue while in jail and initially received treatment at the prison hospital.
Later, he was transferred to the medicine department of DMCH on the instructions of the prison authorities.
As his condition deteriorated, he was taken to the hospital's emergency department around 3:00pm in an unconscious state. The attending doctor declared him dead at around 5:30pm.
Sahabul Islam said Mehedi Hasan was being held as an undertrial prisoner at the central jail (prisoner No. 10718/26) in connection with a case filed with Kamrangirchar Police Station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act.
The deceased's elder brother, Sayed Kazi, said Mehedi Hasan was an SSC examinee and had been in custody for the past seven months in connection with a rape case filed with Kamrangirchar Police Station.
He said his brother died after being taken to DMCH for dengue treatment.
Inspector Md Habibur Rahman, in-charge of the police outpost at DMCH, said Mehedi Hasan's body had been kept in the hospital morgue for an autopsy. It would be handed over to the family after the autopsy.
Meanwhile, his relatives demanded that the body be handed over without a post-mortem examination; this led to an argument and a scuffle with the on-duty prison guards and Ansar personnel.
Police from the Shahbagh station later arrived and brought the situation under control.
Regarding Rafiqul Islam's death, prison guard Harun Sheikh said Rafiqul suddenly experienced chest pain and fell seriously ill inside the jail around 3:00pm on Saturday.
On the instructions of the prison authorities, he was rushed to DMCH, where doctors declared him dead at around 4:00pm.
Harun said Rafiqul was suspected to have died of a stroke.
The bodies will be handed over to the relatives following the completion of due procedures.