The murder investigation of Jagannath University (JNU) Chhatra Dal leader Md Jobayed Hossain took a significant turn today as the prime suspect, Md Mahir Rahman, was detained after his mother handed him over to police this morning. Jobayed, a student leader, was fatally stabbed on Sunday (October 19) while tutoring a student at a house in Armanitola.
Jobayed Hossain, a student of the Statistics Department (2019-20 session) and a member of the JNU Chhatra Dal convening committee, was found dead on the staircase of ‘Roushan Villa’ at 15, Nurbox Lane, Armanitola. Police suspect the killing was the result of a love-related conflict involving a young woman and her boyfriend.
Suspect Detained, Case Filing Stalls
Police confirmed that Mahir Rahman, whom the deceased’s family accuses of the murder, was handed over to Bangshal Police Station by his mother early this morning.
However, a formal murder case has not yet been officially recorded.
Jobayed’s elder brother, Enayet Hossain Soikat, alleged that Bangshal Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Rafiqul Islam initially refused to accept their complaint naming five individuals: the student concerned, her parents, her boyfriend Mahir Rahman, and Mahir’s friend Md Nafis.
“We wanted to file the case naming five people,” Soikat stated. “The OC advised us not to name so many people in the case, suggesting that if we name the girl’s parents, the case would become ‘lightweight.’ But we insist on naming them. We demand justice for my brother’s murder.”
The delay in filing the case was attributed to a dispute over the number of accused to be included. When questioned about the matter, Bangshal OC Rafiqul Islam responded, “We will accept the case with the names of whoever they want to include, but we advised them to discuss the matter with university teachers before making a final decision.”
Investigation Details
Jobayed Hossain had been tutoring the young woman in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology at the residence for the past year. Following the 4:45 PM murder, police initially took the young woman into custody for questioning around 11 PM last night.
Police suspect that the young woman and her boyfriend may be involved in the crime. CCTV footage reportedly shows two young men fleeing the scene around the time of the murder, though their faces remain unclear.
Following the brutal murder, protesting JNU students staged a sit-in in front of Bangshal Police Station and briefly blocked the Tatibazar intersection, briefly setting fires in protest, demanding the swift arrest of the perpetrators. In condolence, JNU has announced a two-day mourning programme and postponed all events marking ‘University Day,’ which was scheduled for October 22.
