JnU student’s suicide: Protests rage as asst proctor, classmate held

Police yesterday arrested a student of Jagannath University and the institution's assistant proctor in a case filed over instigating the death by suicide of law student Fairuz Sadaf Abontika, whose body was found hanging in her Cumilla home on Friday night. 

A team of Kotwali Police Station of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Lalbagh division arrested her classmate Raihan Siddique Amman and Assistant Proctor Din Islam in the capital last night, Badrul Hasan, additional deputy commissioner (Kotwali zone), told The Daily Star.

The arrests were made hours after Abontika's mother filed the case with Kotwali Model Police Station in Cumilla.

Before Abontika's death, there was a post on her Facebook accusing Amman of sexual harassment and alleging that Din Islam verbally abused her and took Amman's side when she complained.

DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman said, "We are providing assistance to Cumilla police so that they [the accused] cannot flee or go into hiding. They will be handed over to Cumilla police, who will take necessary steps in this regard."

Earlier yesterday, the university suspended Din Islam amid protests by students on the campus and in Cumilla town.

JnU authorities on Friday night suspended Amman and formed a five-member probe committee headed by the president of the teachers' association.

Following the news of the death, hundreds of university students took to the campus and staged protests till midnight Friday, demanding justice.

Around 3:30pm yesterday, several hundred students rallied on the JnU campus, calling for exemplary punishment of those accused by Abontika.

JnU student Mujahidul Islam Bappy said, "Abontika's death is a systematic killing. The university administration failed to act on her complaint. The seed of her death was planted in the proctor's office. We demand a fair and just trial for this murder."

The protesters put forth six demands: a fair and just trial over Abontika's death; immediate arrest and punishment of the two accused; their expulsion; ending the culture of victim-blaming and ensuring the safety of Abontika's family; the university administration filing a case as the plaintiff; and strengthening the university's anti-harassment cell.

The students also issued an ultimatum, saying they would surround and blockade the vice-chancellor's office if their demands were not met within 24 hours.

A separate demonstration demanding justice for Abontika was held at Cumilla's Kandirpar's Pubali Chattar.

Locals and classmates of Abontika, a student of the 2017-18 academic session, said she sacrificed her life due to the harassment and lack of support from the university.

'MY DAUGHTER WAS BRILLIANT'

Abontika's mother Tahmina Begum lost consciousness when her body was taken home from CMCH yesterday.

She had earlier said, "My daughter was ambitious, brilliant, and achieved academic excellence. Yet, she did not receive justice when she complained about harassment."

After two namaz-e-janazas, Abontika was laid to rest beside her father's grave.

While talking to the media earlier yesterday, Din Islam denied the allegations, calling them "baseless" and saying that he did not assist Amman in any such incidents.

Abontika in November 2023 filed a written complaint with the proctor's office seeking a remedy for Amman's harassment.

Din Islam said he last spoke with Abontika and her parents two years ago, and he never talked to them since then. He does not know of any complaints.

He demanded a thorough investigation into the incident and said, "If I am found guilty, I am ready to accept it."

Besides, Amman in a Facebook post wrote, "I never had the mentality to disturb her. She blocked me on social media a long ago. And since then, I don't talk to her."

(Our Cumilla correspondent contributed to the story.)