Dhaka witnessed a heartbreaking night as 3 individuals, including a young university student, a schoolgirl and a newly married housewife, were found dead in separate hanging incidents across the city late Monday. All three were brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) during the early hours of May 6, where doctors confirmed their deaths.
The victims were identified as 24-year-old Shihabul Islam, a scholarship student at East West University; 14-year-old Priyonti Sarker, a tenth grader at Dania A.K. School; and 19-year-old Bithi Akter, a young housewife from Uttar Badda.
Shihabul’s Silent Struggle
Shihabul hailed from Gopinathpur village in Sirajganj’s Shahjadpur upazila. He was pursuing Electrical and Electronic Engineering at East West University. Despite earning a scholarship, recent academic setbacks had left him feeling deeply discouraged. According to his sister Umme Sayma, he feared losing his scholarship and often shared his anxieties with her.
On Monday night, after everyone had gone to bed, he quietly locked his room in Rasulbagh, Khilgaon, and took his own life using a rope tied to a ceiling fan. When the family noticed an eerie silence and repeated calls went unanswered, they broke open the door to discover him hanging. Though rushed to DMCH, it was too late.
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Priyonti’s Final Moments
In Jatrabari, the life of a young girl named Priyonti Sarker was also tragically cut short. Living with her family in their home on Kazla Matbor Lane, the teenager was reportedly disinterested in studies. A minor scolding from her father and brother on Monday evening became too much for her tender heart. Around 11:30 PM, she retreated to her room, tied a scarf to the ceiling fan, and ended her life.
Her family only discovered the situation after breaking down her locked door around 1:00 AM. She, too, was taken to the hospital but could not be revived.
Bithi’s Quiet Despair
In another corner of the city, in a modest home in Abdullahbagh, 19-year-old Bithi Akter faced her own turmoil. Married for just over a year and living in Dhaka to care for her sick father-in-law, Bithi was said to have had a minor disagreement with her husband, Asaduzzaman, that night.
No one expected the argument to take such a dark turn. But around 11:30 PM, Bithi locked herself in the room and used a scarf to hang from a window grill. Her husband, sensing something was wrong, broke down the door only to find her motionless. She was also taken to DMCH, where doctors pronounced her dead.
Police and Investigations
All three bodies have been placed in the hospital morgue. DMCH police camp in-charge Md. Faruk confirmed the incidents and stated that the local police stations have been informed. Investigations are ongoing to understand the circumstances behind each tragedy.
