Jagannath University student dies by suicide, blaming ‘abusive’ classmate, assistant proctor on Facebook

Fairuz Abontika alleged abuse by classmate Amman Siddique and Assistant Proctor Din Islam

A Jagannath University student has ended her life after leaving a note on Facebook, in which she implicated her classmate for sexually harassing her with “comments online”.

The student, Fairuz Abontika, also alleged “online and offline threats” by classmate Amman Siddique.

She said Assistant Proctor Din Islam defended Amman, and threatened to expel her after using “misogynistic abusive” comments about her.

“It’s technically murder, not suicide,” she said, describing how “her efforts to live on failed”.

Kotwali Model Police Station chief Feroz Hossain said on Friday night that the family took Abontika to Cumilla Sadar Hospital after the young woman tried to take her own life by hanging herself at her home.

After the doctor declared her dead, police sent the body to Cumilla Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

Amman, a law department student, denied harassing or threatening Abontika.

He told bdnews24.com Abontika had spread rumours about him and others through a fake Facebook ID in August 2022.

“She admitted to her mistake after we filed a general diary at Kotwali Police Station. We informed the proctorial body so that she would not repeat such act. I had no communication with her afterwards,” he said.

“She created mental pressure on herself after all these events. She lost herself for her own mental illness.”

Assistant Proctor Din also denied threatening Abontika. He said he had communicated with her one and a half years ago over the incident involving Amman.

Students have rallied for justice for Abontika on the campus after seeing her post and hearing the news of her death.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Sadeka Halim met the protesters and told them she ordered suspension of Amman and Din pending investigation.

Law faculty’s Deen Masum Billah will head the investigation, she said.