Student commits suicide after being ditched by him
Jahangirnagar University student Majria Jannat Sumi committed suicide after a teacher at the university backed away from his decision to marry her, her family and friends alleged yesterday.
Sumi, a master’s student of history department, was found dead Tuesday, her body hanging from a ceiling fan at her university dormitory room.
Moniruzzaman Sikder alias Sumon, a Botany teacher admitted that he agreed to marry Sumi after it was proposed by History Department chairman Lutful Hye-Jami.
“But I stepped back as my family refused to accept her after I learned that she was a divorcee,” Sumon said. “I came to learn that she was married and divorced when she was a college student.”
Sumon said he used to call Sumi by phone and chat with her even after the rejection. “Sumi had requested me to carry on talking for mental support so she could complete her exams smoothly,” he said.
Sumon, however, denied that her rejection has led Sumi to take her life.
Tonmoy, a friend of Sumi told The Daily Star the teacher was in a relationship with Sumi.
She said Sumi spent time with Sumon during vacations when most students would leave the campus to stay with their families.
History Department chairman Lutful Hye-Jami said he tried to arrange a marriage between Sumon and Sumi. “When Sumon refused to marry Sumi I conveyed it to her.”
Sumi’s father Abdus Samad denied his daughter was a divorcee. He claimed she was engaged with her cousin when she was a college student.
The engagement was called off after Sumi wanted to pursue higher studies to fulfill her dream to become a university teacher against the will of her cousin, her father said, “She was doing excellent, she obtained 1st class 1st position in her honours final exams. She completed her master’s exams very well,” he said.
Talking to The Daily Star, Sumi’s father Abdus Samad said Sumon was responsible for the death of his daughter. The family, he said, will file a complaint to the vice chancellor of the university urging measures against the teacher.
JU proctor Prof Arzu Miah said the university administration is discussing possibilities of a committee to look into the incident.
He said the authorities did not receive any formal complaint against the teacher.
-With The Daily Star input
