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Amin Huda, the notorious ‘drug lord’ serving 79 years in prison, has died undergoing treatment at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in Dhaka.
Described as one of the first drug traders who played a key role in the spread of methamphetamine-based yaba in Bangladesh, Huda died at the hospital’s prison cell at about 1pm on Friday.
He has been at the hospital for about a year due to cardiac and other complexities, Jailor Mahbubul Islam of the Dhaka Central Jail told bdnews24.com.
The authorities would hand over the body to his family on completion of post-mortem examination and legal formalities, Islam added.
The Rapid Action Battalion detained Huda and his associate Ahsanul on Oct 25, 2007 during a drive on two houses in the capital’s Gulshan.
The law enforcers had also seized around 5 kilograms of yaba pills, raw materials needed to manufacture the banned synthetic drug, chemicals and machinery and VoIP tools.
A court sentenced them on different counts of charges in two cases under the narcotics control and special power acts on Jul 15, 2012.
He had briefly secured bail from the High Court but the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court overturned the order sending him to jail again in June, 2013.
He had been at hospital for about three years since then.
Huda, a nephew of controversial businessman Aziz Mohammad Bhai, ran MB Multicare Limited.
The law enforcers had faced criticisms when Huda had been seen without handcuffs on his arrival in court from prison. He had been allowed to smoke, chat, and walk on the veranda and enjoy meals with his associates during trial in the court rooms.
"It appeared that he (Huda) had come to court as a guest, not an accused," a judge had said.