A Dhaka court on Tuesday issued arrest warrants against 22 individuals in connection with the killing of Tofazzal Hossain, a mentally disabled youth who was lynched on suspicion of theft at University of Dhaka’s Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana passed the order after accepting the charge sheet submitted by Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).
According to case documents, the incident took place on the night of September 18, 2024, when Tofazzal was seen wandering near the gate of Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall.
Some university students reportedly detained him and first took him to a guest room in the hall’s main building. Accusing him of stealing a mobile phone, they allegedly assaulted him with fists and kicks.
Later, after realizing that he was mentally ill, the students took him to the hall’s canteen and gave him food. However, a group of students later took him to the guest room of the hall’s south building, tied his hands to a window, and beat him with a stamp, hockey stick and sticks, leaving him unconscious.
He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 1:00 AM in a critical condition, where doctors declared him dead.
Following the incident, Muhammad Amanullah, a supervisor of the university’s Estate Office, filed a case with Shahbagh Police Station on September 19, 2024.
Later, on December 30, 2024, Inspector Md Asaduzzaman of Shahbagh Police Station submitted a charge sheet against 21 students of the university.
However, citing irregularities in the investigation, the university administration expressed dissatisfaction with the police report.
On February 26, 2025, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Saifuzzaman ordered the Police Bureau of Investigation to reinvestigate the case.
After conducting a fresh probe, PBI Additional Superintendent of Police Hannanul Islam submitted a new charge sheet on December 15, 2025, naming 28 individuals as accused.
Of the 28 accused, Ahsan Ullah alias Bipul Sheikh and Wazibul Alam are currently on bail, while Jalal Mia, Al Hossain Sazzad, Md Mottakin Sakin Shah and Suman Mia remain in jail.
The remaining 22 accused are absconding, prompting the court to issue arrest warrants against them.
SH
