The death of Islamic University student Sajid Abdullah has been officially confirmed as a homicide, according to the long-awaited viscera report. The report reveals that Sajid was strangled to death before being dumped in the pond, contradicting any previous suggestion of accidental drowning.
Sajid, a second-year student of Islamic Studies from the 2021–22 session and a resident of Room 109 of Zia Hall, hailed from Ghatail in Tangail. His father, Ahsan Habibullah Deloar, serves as the superintendent of a local madrasa.
His lifeless body was discovered floating in the pond beside Shah Azizur Rahman Hall on the university campus on the afternoon of July 17, 2025. Following recovery, university police sent the body to Kushtia General Hospital for autopsy. The post-mortem was conducted the following morning.
The Kushtia Civil Surgeon, Dr. Sheikh Mohammad Kamal Hossain, confirmed:
“The viscera test shows he was murdered through asphyxiation before being thrown into water. There were no signs of drowning.”
This finding aligns with the suspicions raised early on by Sajid’s family and fellow students, who had strongly rejected the initial claim that he may have drowned accidentally. Sajid was a capable swimmer, they had pointed out.
Protests and Demands for Justice
Soon after his body was found, the campus erupted in protest, with students alleging a planned murder. They demanded the arrest of the perpetrators and a full, impartial investigation into the circumstances of his death.
Sajid’s father, speaking to bdnews24.com, said:
“From the beginning, I said there was something mysterious about my son’s death. How could my son—who knew how to swim—drown like that? My family is still shattered by the loss. We want a proper investigation and exemplary justice.”
According to Kushtia Superintendent of Police Mizanur Rahman, the viscera report, delivered through court channels to the investigation team on Sunday, officially states the death was “homicidal in nature.” Medical estimates place Sajid’s time of death around 3:30 AM on July 16, nearly 30 hours before his body surfaced.
SP Mizanur further stated that with the viscera report confirming homicide, the police will now initiate proceedings to officially treat the case as murder and begin deeper investigation in coordination with Sajid’s family and university authorities.
Meanwhile, the university’s own investigative committee has already submitted its report, suggesting that Sajid may have been murdered and calling for legal action.
University Proctor Shahinuzzaman commented:
“The committee formed by the university suspected it might be a murder. Now that the viscera confirms it as such, we expect law enforcement to carry out a full investigation and take steps to bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Call for Broader Reform
Civil Surgeon Dr. Kamal Hossain added that all water-related deaths, even those appearing to be accidental drownings, must come under the purview of post-mortem examination by default. He recommended the law enforcement agencies ensure this standard going forward.
As the official narrative of Sajid’s death shifts from ambiguity to clear confirmation of murder, pressure mounts on the authorities to deliver justice in a case that has shaken the Islamic University community and raised serious questions about campus safety.
