Dhaka madrasa student dies in clashes among fellows

A student has died in clashes between two groups at a Dhaka madrasa on Sunday night.

The dead, Mofazzal Hossain, was a tenth grader at Quaderia Tayabia Alia Kamil Madrasah in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur.

Police said he died around 6am Monday at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

“A clash erupted between ninth graders and tenth graders at the madrasa. Mofazzal was brought to hospital as he suffered head injuries during the clash,” said Mohammadpur police OC Jamal Uddin Meer.

Mofazzal was born in Chandpur. His classmates and teachers have come up with different accounts of what led to his death.

Mofazzal’s uncle, Abul Kalam, claims he was killed following the confrontation.

Quoting madrasa authorities, police said some tenth graders were taunted when they went to the madrasa hostel to call class IX students to evening prayers on Saturday.

The same groups clashed the next day after dinner.

Class IX students Tanvir Ahmed, Arif Hossain, Emdad Hossain and Afzal Foysal and a tenth grader, Azizul Hoque, suffered injuries.

Kazi Abdul Alim Rizvi, head of the madrasa, has said all of the injured were given first-aid.

“We shifted the two units into separate buildings to avoid further clashes,” he told bdnews24.com

As the chaos unfolded, Mofazzal went missing, Rizvi said.

“After searching everywhere we found him inside a common bathroom on the first floor which was locked from inside.”

He was taken to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital first and then to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said Rizvi.

On the other hand, a classmate of Mofazzal has claimed that the teachers were lying to cover up their ‘faults’.

“The teachers’ claim that he was found inside a toilet is not correct,” he told bdnews24.com seeking anonymity.

Mofazzal suffered head injuries during the clash, he said.

“The teachers told everyone to leave the scene and took him away. He could have been alive if he had been given proper medical treatment.”