BNP leader Harris Chowdhury died three months before, family says

BNP leader Harris Chowdhury who has been convicted in August 21 grenade attack case has passed away in the United Kingdom three months earlier.

Harris Chowdhury’s cousin and former Sylhet district BNP vice-president Ashik Chowdhury disclosed the information on Tuesday in a Facebook post.

“Harris Chowdhury was infected in coronavirus in mid-August last year. He was tested negative couple of days after he was released from the hospital. His lungs were highly damaged by the infection though he was feeling alright a bit. He fell on critical ailment after the lungs infection deteriorated later. In September, he was readmitted to the hospital and later died while undergoing treatment,” Ashik Chowdhury wrote in his post.

Harris Chowdhury was appointed as a political advisor of prime minister Khaleda Zia during the BNP-Jamaat regime.

He was sentenced to life in prison for his part in plotting the August 21 grenade attack that killed at least 24 people and injured 500 others.

Apart from Harris, 19 people were awarded death penalty, 18 others life terms and penalised another 11 with different jail terms on Oct 11, 2018.