Dip's battle ends

BUET student Arif Raihan Dip's chess with death finally ended Tuesday when he succumbed to his wounds nearly three months after he was severely hacked up.

He breathed his last around 4:30am at Dhaka's Square Hospital, BUET Directorate of Students' Welfare Director Delwar Hossain told bdnews24.com.

His remains were taken to BUET campus in the morning. A namaj-e-janaza was held in front of the MA Rashid Bhaban around 10am.

Dip’s father also took part in the funeral prayers along with the university’s teachers, students, officials and staff.

The third-year mechanical engineering department student was on the convenor committee of the BUET Chhatra League unit.

Dip was severely hacked up on Apr 9 in his dormitory, Nazrul Islam Hall.

The assault followed hearsay that he along with some other students had barred an imam of one of the hall mosques from supplying food to Hifazat-e Islam activists during their long march to Dhaka on Apr 6.

Students had also informed students' welfare Director Delwar Hossain of the background that led to the murderous assault.

Later, the Imam, Abdul Alim was suspended.

BUET Chhatra League unit Convenor Aminul Hoque Polash said, “Some students started saying provocative stuff against Dip in BUET students’ facebook group Buetians after the Imam was suspended. They alleged Dip was behind the Imam’s suspension.”

Dip also received numerous death threats over phone at the time, Polash said.

Finally the miscreants attacked Dip in his dormitory on Apr 9 and left him severely wounded in his head and back.

He was first taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, but later transferred to Square Hospital for better treatment.

His family last month had sought support from the government for overseas treatment since it lacked resources.

Police on Apr 17 arrested another BUET civil engineering student, Mejbah Uddin who confessed involvement in the assault on Dip.

They said Mejbah was a supporter of radical group Hifazat-e Islam.