Staff Reporter :
Rejecting the death of Stamford University student Rubaiyat Sharmin Rumpa in suicide or accident, hundreds of demonstrators, including students and teachers, continued their protest for the second consecutive day on Saturday.
They demanded exemplarily punishment who attempted to brand the pre-planned murder as an accidental dead like fall from roof-top from a building in city’s Siddheshwari area. The demonstrators urged all the students and teachers of other universities to hold sit-in programmes on their respective campus premises from today (Sunday).
The students and the teachers of Siddheshwari and Dhanmondi campuses formed separate human chains in front of the main entrances of the universities in the morning.
Later, they brought out processions and paraded the city streets.
Holding various placards inscribed with ‘justice for Rumpa,’ ‘no mercy for rapist,’ and ‘hang the rapist,” the demonstrators demanded proper investigation into the death.
At the human chain at Siddheshwari, one of the protesters, Ali Emran, said, “Sexual harassment against women has increased day by day. Nobody knows who the next victim will be. Nobody is safe.”
He said, “We demand exemplary punishment for Rumpa’s killers. We demand also safe working place and city for women.”
A friend of Rumpa said, “We know she was raped. Now attempts are being made to divert the incident into another way.”
Professor Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, Chairman of the English Department of the university, urged the government to identify the perpetrators of the murder immediately and transfer the case to speedy trial tribunal for quick disposal.
Associate Professor at English Department Sayma Arju said, “I knew her. She was not someone who could commit suicide. Her getting justice now depends on proper investigation by law enforcement agencies.”
Proctor ANM Arifur Rahman said, “Criminal Investigation Department, Detective Branch of police, Rapid Action Battalion, and police are working jointly on the matter. I believe the reason behind the death will be revealed very soon.”
Meanwhile, father of Rubaiyat Sharmin Rumpa, claimed that his daughter was murdered in a planned way.
“It is not believable that she could commit suicide. My daughter was killed in a planned way,” said Rokan Uddin.
He suspected that some youths are behind the murder of his daughter and has already submitted some names to law enforcement agencies.
“We have never seen such attitude in my daughter by which we can say that she could have committed suicide,” Rokan said.
Monirul Islam, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Ramna Police Station, said they are yet to unfold the mystery of Rumpa’s death.
“We are working considering it a murder and a case was also filed in connection with the incident with the police station,” the police official said.
According to him, Rumpa’s boyfriend Shaikat has already been taken to the Detective Branch of Police headquarters to interrogate him in connection with the murder.
The members of DB, RAB, PBI and other law enforcement agencies are working to unfold the mystery, he added.
On December 4, police recovered the body of Rumpa, 21, a second year student of Stanford University’s English Department, from 68 Siddheswari Circular Road, behind Ayesha Complex around 11:00pm.
Rumpa used to live with her mother and younger brother in Dhaka’s Shantibagh area. Rumpa was the daughter of Inspector Md Rokonuddin, in-Charge of a Police Outpost in Habiganj.
She was buried at her ancestral home at Bijoynagar village in Mymensingh on December 6.
According to police sources, Rumpa died after falling from a multi-storey building. A case was filed in this regard with Ramna Police Station.
The autopsy of the body was performed at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) on December 5.
Dr Sohel Mahmud, head of the DMCH Forensic department, said, “The deceased [Rumpa] sustained multiple fractures in her body which indicates she died after falling off a multi-storey building. Samples have also been collected to perform a viscera test.”
