Two commit suicide in two districts

Two persons committed suicide in separate incidents in Sirajganj and Barishal districts on Tuesday.

SIRAJGANJ: A branch manager of Grameen Bank committed suicide on Tuesday night after ingesting toxic gas tablets at the bank’s Nimgachhi branch in Raiganj Upazila of the district.

Md Abdus Salam, 50, a native of Ishwardi Upazila in Pabna District who lived in a rented house in Nimgachhi with his family, died at Bogura’s Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital around 9 pm while undergoing treatment.

According to colleagues, an internal audit was underway at the branch and was scheduled to conclude on Thursday. Co-worker Shafiqul Islam said Salam had appeared visibly depressed in the days leading up to the incident, telling colleagues he was “not being allowed to live” before confessing to taking the tablets.

The death sparked local outrage and briefly trapped members of the audit committee, prompting police to intervene and escort three auditors to the police station for their safety.

Grameen Bank Sirajganj Zonal In-Charge Md Asaduzzaman confirmed that no audit objections or discrepancies had been raised against Salam prior to the incident. 

Raiganj Police Station (PS) Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Ahsanuzzaman and Additional Superintendent of Police Md Saiful Islam said that no formal complaints or cases have been filed by the family or the bank, though an investigation is underway.

BARISHAL: A 35-year-old man died after jumping from the seventh floor of the Barishal Chief Judicial Magistrate Court building on Tuesday afternoon. 

Nazmul Haque, a cashier at Barishal Government Women’s College, jumped from the building around 4 pm, said Anwar Hossain, inspector of the district court. CCTV footage showed Nazmul trying to reach the rooftop of the 10-storey building. As the rooftop access was locked, he went to the seventh floor and jumped, the inspector said.

Kotwali Model PS OC Monirul Islam said Nazmul was taken to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in critical condition, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

According to police, Nazmul was the plaintiff in a case filed with Barishal Airport PS in 2013. He was also an accused in another case filed with the same police station over allegations of abduction and torture.

“We initially suspect that Nazmul died by suicide. He had no scheduled court hearing yesterday. The reason will be known after investigation,” the OC said. Police said they are investigating the circumstances centring the death.