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Associate Professor Akter Jahan Joly of mass communication and journalism at Rajshahi University has been found dead inside her teacher quarters room.
Published : 10 Sep 2016, 03:21 AM
A ‘suicide note’ found on a table there says “no-one is responsible for my death”, but makes some accusations against her former husband.
Police say the writing style of the note matched Joly’s handwriting.
The department's former chairman Moshihur Rahman told bdnews24.com they had found her unconscious after breaking down the door of her room in Jubery Bhaban around 4:30pm on Friday.
Joly was rushed to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, but doctors there said she had died a long time ago.
Journalism department’s Associate Professor Dulal Chandra Biswas said they had found Joly in her bed. There were black spots, most likely caused by foam and blood, on her mouth.
But, the cause of the death would be known after a post-mortem examination on the body, said RMCH emergency department physician Dr Mohinul Islam.
“She was brought dead. It seemed that she died one or two days ago.”
After doing her post-graduation at the Dhaka University, Joly joined Rajshahi University as a teacher in 1997.
A ‘troubled’ life
Before taking up the job, she had married Tanvir Ahmed, who also teaches at the same department as an associate professor.
Their colleagues said they had divorced a few years ago.
Joly started to live in the Room No. 303 of Jubery Bhaban in 2012 after their marriage founded the rock.
Their son stayed with Tanvir and visited his mother sometimes, the teachers said.
Tanvir married another woman by the end of last year, prompting Joly to send the boy to her father.
Her colleague, Lecturer Mamun Abdul Kayum, said the residents of the building thought Joly had gone to Dhaka to celebrate the Eid-ul-Azha with her family as the Eid holiday at the university started on Wednesday.
But her son called some of the teachers on the phone on Friday and said his mother was not taking calls.
The teachers said they had tried to reach Joly on the phone and later informed the authorities after failure to contact her.
Associate Professor Moshihur said they then called police who broke the door after getting no response to knocks.
Another associate professor of the university, Al Mamun said, “Joly Apa was lying peacefully, placing a hand on the other. Everything was in order. There was also a sorted bag beside her body.”
He also said Joly had been suffering from back pain.
Police found a note placed under a laptop on a table during a search in the room in the presence of Joly’s colleagues.
The note, written in Bangla, roughly reads in English, “No-one is responsible for my death. I am committing suicide due to physical and mental stress.”
The note urged that her son’s custody should in no way be given to his father Tanvir.
Another associate professor of the department, Kazi Mamun Haider, said the teachers entered the room with police and saw the note.
“Though there was no signature on it, the handwriting seemed to be hers,” he added.
Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Commissioner Shafikul Islam told bdnews24.com: “We’ve compared the suicide note found in the room with her diary. It appears that the same person wrote them.”
A former classmate of Joly said her son was studying at an English medium school in Dhaka for some months. The boy was staying at the house of Joli’s father, a former army officer.
The note also reads, “Please make sure that Swad’s father does not get his custody by any means.”
“The father, who can put a knife on his son’s throat, can also kill him or force him to die anytime,” it adds.
The note also contains a request to donate presumably Joly’s mortal remains to Rajshahi Medical College.
Ex-husband speaks
Reached for his comments on the so-called suicide note, Tanvir told bdnews24.com, “Swad had been with me for many days. He went to visit his grandfather some days ago.”
“His mother wanted him to study in Dhaka. I don’t understand why a person would write such a note before death,” he added.
RMP Commissioner Shafikul said neither Joly’s relatives nor the authorities of her university had lodged a complaint over the death.
“We will act once we receive a complaint,” he added.
The body has been kept at Rajshahi Medical College mortuary.
The teachers of the journalism department said the next decision would be taken after the members of Joly’s family reach Rajshahi.
