Villagers Demand Justice for Bagerhat College Student's Death

Residents of Chotabadura village in Bagerhat’s Morelganj upazila formed a human chain on Thursday demanding a thorough investigation into the suspicious death of a local college student.

Zahidul Islam Howlader 20 a twelfth-grade student at Government Siraj Uddin Memorial College was found hanging from a tree near his home on Saturday August 1.

Zahidul had been working at a hotel in Chattogram and was unreachable for four days before locals discovered his body. His parents, Monirul Islam and Asiya Begum, allege their son was systematically murdered. They claim the killing stems from a troubled relationship Zahidul had with a married woman from neighboring Zianagar upazila, noting that the family had recently received threatening phone calls.

During the protest relatives and classmates firmly rejected the possibility of suicide. While police recovered a suicide note and noted signs of poison protesters argued the scene was staged. They pointed out that items like cigarettes and a lighter were placed in Zahidul’s pockets despite him having no history of tobacco or drug use.

"We demand an impartial investigation to uncover the truth and ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice" a spokesperson for the family stated during the human chain.

Morelganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Mahmudur Rahman confirmed that an investigation is actively underway. "We are taking note of the various claims surrounding Zahidul’s death. The autopsy report will reveal the exact cause of death and we will proceed with appropriate legal action based on those findings" the OC assured.