The Chairman of the Department of Social Welfare at Islamic University and Associate Professor Asma Sadia Runa has been stabbed to death at her office. The killer is Fazlu, a non-salaried employee of the same department. After carrying out the stabbing, he also slit his own throat in an apparent attempt to commit suicide.
The shocking incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the office of the Chairman of the Department of Social Welfare, which falls under the Faculty of Social Sciences at the university.
Investigations revealed that the incident may have stemmed from political vendetta, disputes over salary, and resentment over a transfer to another department.
According to departmental sources, Fazlu was a daily laborer (day-laborer) in the department. For several years, he had been receiving wages on a daily labour basis upon the department’s recommendation. However, after August 5, he was allegedly deprived of his salary by being labeled with an "Awami tag." In addition to unpaid wages, he was recently transferred to another department by the chair. He had reportedly been frustrated over these issues for a long time. There had been repeated verbal altercations between him and Chairman Asma Sadia Runa.
Eyewitnesses said that on the day of the incident, in the afternoon, Fazlu entered the chairman's room and initially got into an argument. As the situation heated up, he attacked Asma Sadia Luna's throat with the sharp weapon he was carrying.
Due to the suddenness of the assault, the teachers and officials present were stunned. Hearing the screams, nearby teachers and students rushed in and rescued the two injured individuals. They were quickly taken to the university's medical center and then referred to Kushtia General Hospital.
The Residential Medical Officer of the hospital, Hasan Imam, informed that Asma Sadia Runa died around 6 p.m. in the evening.
Panic spread across the campus immediately after the incident. Students expressed their anger on social media and raised questions about the university administration's poor condition and the weakness of internal security measures. Many claimed that such an unwanted situation arose because long-standing administrative disputes were not properly resolved.
In an emergency meeting, the university administration condemned the incident and announced a full investigation. The authorities stated that they will look into how an employee was able to easily enter the departmental chairman's room carrying a sharp weapon. At the same time, allegations related to salary and transfer issues will also be brought under investigation.
The Teachers' Association and the Officers-Employees Association issued separate statements expressing deep concern. They said that such violence in an educational institution is not just an individual attack but a blow to the entire academic environment. They demanded swift justice and exemplary punishment.
Immediately after the incident, the Islamic University Thana police visited the scene and collected evidence.
Law enforcement agencies stated that whether the incident was due to personal grudge, administrative conflict, or some other reason will become clear through the investigation.
After the death of the Chairman, Kushtia Police Superintendent Jasim Uddin went to the Kushtia General Hospital. He stated that the accused has been taken into police custody. He is currently receiving treatment and will be interrogated.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Nakib Muhammad Nasrullah expressed his deep sorrow over the incident. He said that the issue which led to the murder was completely unexpected. The university administration follows specific rules and regulations. If anyone has any shortcomings or complaints, they are supposed to inform the administration. However, in this case, the administration was not informed about the matter.