Dhaka, October 20: Law enforcement officials have urged the public not to rely on misleading media reports surrounding the murder of Zobaed Hossain, a postgraduate student of Statistics at Jagannath University (JnU). According to Malik Ahsan Uddin Sami, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the DMP’s Lalbagh Division, much of the information circulating in the media is inaccurate and confusing.
Speaking to reporters after Zobaed’s funeral prayers on Monday, the DC said, “Several misleading reports have been published, which have caused unnecessary confusion among the public. We have accurate and verified information, but for the sake of the investigation, we cannot disclose everything at this stage.”
He confirmed that police have already obtained important leads and hope to share a positive update soon.
“We’re optimistic that by 10 AM on Tuesday (October 21), we’ll be able to provide some good news. The real perpetrators will be arrested—no one will be spared,” — said DC Sami.
Background of the Incident
On Sunday (October 19) around 4:30 PM, Zobaed was attacked with a knife outside a building on Noorbox Lane in the Bangshal area of Dhaka, where he had gone for private tutoring. Despite being injured, he tried to climb the stairs but collapsed on the third floor and died on the spot.
Zobaed was a master’s student in the Department of Statistics at Jagannath University. His death has sparked widespread grief and outrage among the university community.
Reactions from Students, Teachers, and Family
At the press briefing, Nasir Uddin Nasir, General Secretary of the Central Committee of Chhatra Dal, said, “Zobaed’s elder brother recently passed the 49th BCS exam, but Zobaed didn’t live to see that moment of joy. We want the real killers behind bars—no cover-ups or scapegoats.”
Rais Uddin, General Secretary of the JnU Teachers’ Association, said, “We will observe two days of mourning with rallies and remembrance events. We’re giving the authorities a 10-hour ultimatum—if we don’t see meaningful progress, we’ll announce the next phase of protests. Why were Zobaed’s father and uncle made to wait for five hours at the police station? We demand accountability.”
He further added, “We, as the Jagannath University family, will not compromise. Our students’ safety is non-negotiable. We do not want this officer-in-charge (OC) to remain in his post any longer.”
University Administration’s Response
Vice-Chancellor Dr. Md. Imdadul Hoque (corrected name if needed) stated, “We have been with the students from the beginning and will remain with them until justice is served. We will provide full cooperation to law enforcement.”
The tragic murder of Zobaed has shaken the university and raised serious concerns about student safety and law enforcement accountability. Students, faculty, and family members continue to demand swift justice and concrete action against the perpetrators.
