RANGPUR: The general students of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR) have issued an ultimatum to law enforcement authorities, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible for the murder of Shaheed Abu Sayeed. The students have warned that failure to act swiftly could lead to the police being declared unwanted in Rangpur.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the students voiced their demands during a human chain demonstration held in front of the university’s main gate. The protest aimed to expedite justice for Abu Sayeed, whose murder has remained unresolved for four months despite being linked to members of the banned Chhatra League. Suman Sarkar, a student from Abu Sayeed’s Department of English, criticized the police for not apprehending key suspects, including the general secretary of the university’s teachers’ association and a faculty member.
Rahamat Ali, a coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, stated that if the authorities fail to arrest those implicated in the mur
der, the students will not accept the police presence in Rangpur. Shamsur Rahman Suman, another movement coordinator, echoed this sentiment, warning of potential strict actions against the police if the demands are not met.
Abu Sayeed, a 12th batch student of BRUR’s Department of English, was reportedly shot dead by police during an anti-discrimination protest in Rangpur city on July 16. Following the incident, a case was filed by Sayeed’s brother, naming 17 individuals and 30 to 35 unknown persons. The court later ordered the inclusion of additional names, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Investigating Officer, ABM Jakir Hossain, confirmed that three individuals-dismissed Assistant Sub-Inspector Amir Ali, Constable Sujan Chandra Roy, and former BRUR proctor Md Shariful Islam-have been arrested in connection to the case.