Clash, vandalism erupt Over classmate’s suicide, chairman confined

Students of Bright School and College staged demonstrations in the Donia area of the capital’s Kadamtali following the alleged suicide of a tenth-grade student, with protesters accusing the institution’s chairman of mentally harassing the girl before her death on Thursday (May 21).

The deceased, identified as 16-year-old Sabikun Nahar, was a humanities student at the school. According to police, she died by suicide at her family home on Nasir Uddin Road in Donia by hanging herself on Wednesday.

Students alleged that the school’s chairman, Masud Hasan Liton, scolded and verbally abused the girl after summoning her from the examination hall on Wednesday. They claimed the humiliation, followed by further reprimand from her mother after being called to the school, drove the student to take her own life.

Protesting students gathered in front of the school’s old and new buildings from around 10am, demanding punishment for Chairman Masud Hasan Liton and Principal Maeedul Hasan Rana on Thursday. Students from other institutions and local residents also joined the protest.

Demonstrators chanted slogans including, “Why did Sabikun Nahar die? Liton, answer us,” and “We want justice for Sabikun.” At one stage, angry protesters vandalised parts of the school building and allegedly confined the chairman inside the premises.

Tensions escalated further around 4pm when police attempted to escort the chairman out of the building. Protesters allegedly tried to snatch him from police custody, triggering a chase and counter-chase between students and law enforcers that left at least 10 people injured.

One protesting student alleged that the chairman frequently made inappropriate remarks toward female students, describing it as a form of eve-teasing. Another student claimed Sabikun had neither cheated nor copied during the examination, but was still subjected to verbal abuse.

However, Chairman Masud Hasan Liton denied the allegations. Speaking to journalists, he claimed the student had been inattentive in her studies and had violated discipline during the examination.

“The teachers informed me about the matter, and I called her mother to the school. After returning home, her mother may have scolded her, which possibly led her to take the extreme step,” he said.

Kadamtali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sheikh Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman said the family informed police that the girl had died by suicide and filed no complaint regarding the incident. Police registered an unnatural death case and handed over the body to the family without an autopsy at their request.

Sabikun’s father, Khalilur Rahman, said his daughter took her own life following scolding from her mother. He also said protesters could not be calmed despite repeated attempts, adding that many people might already have grievances against the institution.

Additional police personnel have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order.