The submission of the investigation report in the case concerning the death of mentally unstable youth Tofazzal Hossain at Dhaka University has been delayed once again.
On Sunday, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md. Sefatullah set a new date—June 18—for the submission of the report. Shahbagh Police Station’s General Registration Officer, SI Jinnat Ali, informed the court that although the report was due, the investigation officer failed to submit it on time. The judge then postponed the submission to the new date.
Tofazzal, 32, died on the night of September 18 after allegedly being tortured inside the guest room of Dhaka University’s Fazlul Haque Muslim Hall.
Following the incident, university estate office supervisor Mohammad Amanullah filed a case with Shahbagh Police Station. On December 30, investigation officer Inspector Md. Asaduzzaman submitted a charge sheet implicating 21 students.
However, on February 2, Dhaka University raised objections, claiming the investigation lacked fairness. Subsequently, on February 26, the court directed the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to re-investigate the case and submit a fresh report by May 4.
According to the case details, at around 7:15 pm on the night of the incident, Tofazzal was seen behaving suspiciously near the hall gate. Some students detained him, took him to the main guest room, and accused him of stealing a mobile phone.
Despite realizing he was mentally ill, they later transferred him to the south building’s guest room, tied him to a window, and beat him with stamps, hockey sticks, and rods until he lost consciousness. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
On September 25, Tofazzal’s cousin, Asma Akhter, filed another case against 15 individuals, including Hall Provost Professor Shah Muhammad Masum.
The court, after recording Asma`s statement, ordered a joint investigation into both her case and the university’s earlier case.
