Suspected thief killed in 'mass beating' at Dhaka University

Witnesses say he was beaten in several rounds after being detained in the guest room at Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall

A man believed to have mental disabilities has been killed after he was beaten at Dhaka University’s Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall on suspicion of theft.

The body of 32-year-old Tofazzal Hossain was brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital around midnight on Wednesday. The doctor on duty then declared him dead, said Md Faruk, chief of the DMCH Police Outpost.

“The deceased, Tofazzal, hailed from Kanthal Toli Union in Patharghata Upazila in Barishal’s Barguna District,” he said. “We have learnt that he was mentally unstable.”

Asked what had happened, he said, “Tofazzal was detained and beaten on suspicion of being a thief at Fazlul Huq Hall.”

“He had wounds on many parts of his body. The body has been kept at the morgue for an autopsy.”

The incident at Dhaka University sparked widespread criticism on social media.

Witnesses say that Tofazzal was detained on Wednesday evening and then taken to the guest room at the hall by students. There, he suffered several rounds of beatings until 10pm.

After the mass beating, Tofazzal was given food at the canteen before he was detained and beaten again.

When his condition deteriorated around midnight, he was rushed to the hospital. The students who took him to the hospital left the area after he was declared dead.

Tofazzal’s friend, Md Belal Gazi, identified the body at the DMCH morgue.

He said that Tofazzal completed his Master’s in Accounting from BM College, but was not employed due to his mental health struggles. For the past three to four years, since his issues became serious, he would wander different parts of Dhaka as a vagabond. At times, he would stay near Dhaka University.