Eti Rani Das was physically abused while visiting Saraswati Puja. Unable to bear the abuse and humiliation, the girl returned home and committed suicide.
This tragic incident took place yesterday (February 03, 2025) in Bauphal upazila of Patuakhali district. It is known that while eating at a restaurant with her friend on the day of Saraswati Puja, some mischievous boys of other religions started making bad proposals. When she did not agree to the bad proposals, they started abusing her in foul language and said that they would kill everyone of the house. The girl was very scared due to the threats of the miscreants. After that, the girl quickly returned home from the restaurant and committed suicide. The villagers have demanded a proper investigation and justice for this incident. WHSC.
The Daily Campus reported on this incident under the following headline:
Harassment by Chhatra Dal leader in the afternoon, ‘suicide’ of college student at night.
A college student was harassed by a group of youths led by a Chhatra Dal leader while eating at a restaurant with a friend in Bauphal, Patuakhali. The girl’s family has alleged that she committed ‘suicide’ after the incident.
Her hanging body was recovered from her house in Ward No. 1 of Daspara Union of the upazila at around 9:30 pm on Monday (February 3, 2025). The deceased student has been identified as Sampa alias Eti Rani Das (19). She was the daughter of Sameer Das of Daspara village and a first-year undergraduate student of Government Syed Hatem Ali College in Barisal.
Earlier on Monday afternoon, Chhatra Dal leader Hridoy Raihan and his associates harassed Eti Rani Das and her friend at a restaurant adjacent to the public field of the upazila headquarters. Locals said that the accused are Chhatra Dal leaders and activists. In this regard, Patuakhali District Chhatra Dal member secretary Zakaria Ahmed told The Daily Campus that the accused Hridoy Raihan is the general secretary of Ward No. 4 Chhatra Dal of Baufal Municipality. He has already been expelled from Chhatra Dal. He also said, we want legal action to be taken against him.
It is learned that Eti Rani Das went out for a walk on the occasion of Saraswati Puja on Monday morning. Around 12 noon, she went to a restaurant with a friend to have food. Then Hridoy Raihan and his companions started harassing them. At one stage, Hridoy tried to drag Eti’s friend out of the restaurant and beat her up. When Eti resisted, she was also harassed. Later, Hridoy called Eti’s parents and called them.
At some point after the incident, Etir’s friend called 999, and the police went to the scene. Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Md. Shahin brought them to the police station. They were released around 4 pm.
Eti Das’ relatives said that after returning home around 4:30 pm, Eti went up to the second floor of the house. After that, she did not come down again. She did not tell anyone in the family. At around 9 pm, her mother called Eti to eat and found her hanging from the ceiling of the house. The mother immediately screamed. Then the neighbors came and rescued her and took her to the Upazila Health Complex, where the doctor on duty declared her dead.
Eti Das’ cousin said, “Unable to bear the humiliation of her friends and family in front of her, it was Eti who chose suicide. Those involved in the incident are close to Chhatra Dal leader Sakibuzzaman Rakib and party leaders and activists. Who will we seek justice from? On the contrary, since the incident, Eti’s family members have been in fear. As a result, they have not even filed a case with the police station.”
Accused Hridoy Raihan claimed, “We found the young woman and her friend in an objectionable state. Later, we informed their family and asked them to take them away. But instead of coming, they sent the police. This led to the matter being reported. At one point, the girl left the police station crying and went home.”
However, restaurant employees and witnesses said that the young woman and her friend were talking normally. There was no question of any objectionable state. Hridoy and his associates harassed them. They were subjected to harassment for protesting.
When asked about this, Assistant Sub-Inspector of Bauphal Police Station Md. Shahin said, “The mastermind of this incident is Hridoy Raihan. Around Monday afternoon, a young man came to the police station and said that his motorcycle was stopped by Hridoy and his associates. After receiving the news, I immediately went to the spot. After going there, Hridoy told me that this was their internal matter. But no one told me that the incident was related to women. Later, after the young man was rescued and brought to the police station, I came to know that the incident was related to women. After releasing them in the afternoon, I asked them to file a complaint with the police station. But they refused to file a complaint.”
Bauphal Police Station OC Md. Kamal Hossain said, “A case of accidental death has been registered at the police station regarding the death of Etir. The body has been handed over to the family after the autopsy. Legal action will be taken if the family files a complaint.”
