Accused classmate, assistant proctor arrested over Abontika's death

Police today (16 March) arrested Jagannath University (JnU) student Fairuz Abontika's classmate Amman Siddique and Assistant Proctor Din Islam in connection with her death on Friday. 

"Since the death of the student, these two were under police surveillance," Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman told the media.

"They are now in police custody," he said.

This evening, Abontika's mother Tahmina Shabnam filed an abetment of suicide case against Abontika's classmate and assistant poctor Din Islam at Kotwali Model Police Station in Cumilla.

According to the case statement, Abontika's classmate Amman Siddique was sexually harassing her. When she complained to Assistant Proctor Din Islam, he insulted her without taking any action.

Kotwali Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Firoz Hossain said, "Abontika's mother filed the case as the plaintiff. We will discuss with the authorities and take appropriate action.

Earlier this afternoon, the students of JnU staged a demonstration and presented a five-point demand with a 24-hour ultimatum over the arrest and permanent expulsion of Amman Siddique and Din Islam.

On Friday, Fairuz Abontika, a student of the 2017-18 academic year of JnU Law Department, hanged herself at her Cumilla residence after accusing her classmate and the assistant proctor of the university in a Facebook post around 10 pm.

The university administration relieved assistant proctor Din Islam from his duty and suspended classmate Amman Siddique.

The university administration formed a four-member probe committee.

In her Facebook post, Abontika wrote, "If I ever die by suicide, my classmate Amman Siddiqui and assistant proctor Din Islam, who supported him, will be solely responsible for my death. I complained to Proctor's office that Amman was threatening me. Instead of taking action against Amman, Din Islam defended Amman and said expelling me was very easy for him. I know I won't get any justice here."

In her post, she also mentions, "I am seeking justice from the vice-chancellor Sadeka Halim ma'am as she is the guardian of this institution. And I am dying by hanging."