Saoda laid to rest
The body of Saoda Begum, who was hacked to death by her senior fellow at Barisal University on Thursday, was buried at family graveyard at Hatempur village of Patharghat in Barguna on Saturday. Her fellows at the university, meanwhile, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the authorities to arrest the alleged killer, or they would go for tougher agitations including road blockade and hunger strike.
Saoda was hacked to death by fellow male student Russell Mia of management department at the university on Thursday.
The body was handed over to guardians from Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Friday night after autopsy.
The body reached Barisal University campus at about 8:45am on Saturday.
Saoda’s first namaz-e-janaza was held on the temporary campus of the university, Zilla School ground, at 10:00am which was attended by Awami League lawmaker Talukdar Md Yunus, Barisal University teachers, students, guardians, students, representatives from different classes and professions. They also placed floral tributes on her coffin.
The university bade tearful farewell for ever to Saoda at 10:40am, when her body was sent to her native village.
The university observed 3-day mourning programmes from Thursday.
The university students under the banner of General Students Forum on Saturday morning brought out a procession and formed a human chain at the city centre. They also issued the ultimatum from the human chain.
Saoda’s second namaz-e-janaza was held in front of Hatempur Mallikbari Jame Masjid after asr prayer.
Saoda was the second daughter of Shahida Begum and Mawlana Abdur Razzak, Arabic teacher of Nijlathimara Alim Madrasa in Patharghata.
Saoda’s mother Shahida Begum on Thursday night lodged a murder case accusing Russell and two-three unnamed people of killing Saoda following stalking.
The police arrested Bipul Baroi, first year accounting student of the university and son of Bijoy Baroi of Ramnagor village Kotalipara upazila of Gopalganj, in connection with the murder.
Bipul was produced before the court on Friday afternoon and the court ordered him to jail.
Bipul maintained contact over mobile phone with killer Russell before and after the attack on Saoda, the police said.
Russell is still in hiding and the police are trying to arrest him, said investigation officer Shakhawat Hossain, also Barisal Kotwali policeofficer-in-charge.
Police raided village home, houses of friends and relatives of Russell, but all of them went into hiding, he said.
The police are also searching for mothers of Mahir and one Nasima for instigating the attack on Saoda as mentioned by Russell in his notes left at his mess and recovered by the police, the investigation officer said.
-With New Age input
