OUR CORRESPONDENT, Kushtia

A case was filed yesterday in connection with the killing of a female teacher of Islamic University in Kushtia.

Victim Asma Sadia Runa’s husband Imtiaz Sultan lodged the case with Islamic University Police Station, accusing Asma’s two colleagues, Shyam Sundar Sarkar and Habibur Rahman, along with university’s officer Biswajit Kumar Biswas and employee Fazlur Rahman.

Faisal Mahmud, additional superintendent of Kushtia police, told The Daily Star that Shyam Sundar and Habibur are assistant professors of the social welfare department. Biswajit was a former assistant registrar and now works at a dormitory, while Fazlur is a temporary staffer of the university.

On Wednesday afternoon, Runa, 40, an assistant professor and the chairperson of the social welfare department, was stabbed to death by Fazlur at her department office. Fazlur also tried to kill himself by slitting his own throat.

Fazlur, who is now undergoing treatment at the 250-bed Kushtia General Hospital, has made a confessional statement to police, said Faisal.

A doctor at the hospital said Fazlur told him that he killed Runa, triggered by anger over issues such as unpaid salary, misbehaviour, and his transfer to another department. Fazlur added that he had not been paid for around nine months.

In the case statement, Runa’s husband Imtiaz said, “My wife joined as the chairperson of the department in September 2024. Before her, the department was headed by Shyam Sundar. He did not hand over the income and expenditure accounts of the department during his tenure to Runa at the time of her assuming charge.

“At that time, Biswajit told my wife, ‘You have become chair like the previous one. You will just sign wherever we tell you and wherever we place the papers.’’’

My wife was astonished to hear this and told them that the department’s funds must be spent with transparency.

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