Lalmonirhat college teacher dies after 21-day coma following attack over anti-drug activism
Photo Collected
A college lecturer in Lalmonirhat has died after succumbing to severe injuries sustained during a brutal attack by local assailants, whom he had confronted over their involvement in drug trafficking and gambling. Ariful Islam, 34, a faculty member at Lalmonirhat Government Polytechnic School and College, passed away late Friday night at the intensive care unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital after remaining unconscious for 21 days.
The news of Islam’s death triggered a violent reaction in his home village of Gandhamarua, located in Aditmari Upazila. Irate villagers targeted the homes of the accused late Friday night, carrying out acts of vandalism and arson. Local police and the fire service responded to the scene late in the night to extinguish the fires and bring the situation under control.
The attack occurred on the afternoon of August 1, as Islam was returning home from work. Assailants armed with sharp weapons intercepted him in Gandhamarua. Following the assault, the victim was transported through multiple medical facilities, including Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital, Rangpur Medical College Hospital, and Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, before being moved to the capital’s medical college hospital for specialized care.
Islam’s father, Abu Bakar Siddique, filed a case at the Aditmari Police Station on August 2, naming 10 individuals as suspects. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested the primary suspect, Rohidul Islam, on August 13. Aditmari Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Nazmus Sakib Sajib confirmed that the initial attempted murder case will now be upgraded to a murder case, with a formal application submitted to the court. While the primary suspect remains in custody, other individuals named in the case are either on the run or released on bail.
Islam, an alumnus of the University of Rajshahi, was widely recognized in his community for his vocal stance against illegal narcotics and gambling. He leaves behind his wife, Makamam Mahmuda, a two-year-old daughter, and a newborn son. According to S.M. Abu Hasnat, treasurer of the Rajshahi University Alumni Association in Lalmonirhat, the family incurred approximately 2.5 million taka in medical expenses during Islam’s treatment.
On Saturday, Lalmonirhat Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Rashedul Haque Prodhan visited the victim’s home to offer condolences to the grieving family, assuring them of full administrative support. A funeral prayer for the deceased was held at the Quantum Foundation premises in Dhaka on Saturday afternoon, with a second prayer service scheduled for Sunday morning in his native village.
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