DB probing Maldivian model's death

The unnatural death case filed after the death of Maldivian medical student and model Raudha Athif was transferred to the Detective Branch (DB) of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) yesterday.

RMP Commissioner Shafiqul Islam ordered the transfer after Raudha's parents and brother met him at his office on Friday and expressed their dissatisfaction over the investigation, said Rajshahi police.

"We have already started the investigation. Inspector Rashidul Islam of the DB has been assigned the task and he is working on it,” said Al Ameen Hossain, an assistant commissioner of the DB.

Rashidul Islam yesterday visited Islami Bank Medial College where the Maldivian girl studied and talked to some of the teachers and students.

“I am looking into the reasons that led Raudha to kill herself,” the inspector told The Daily Star on the college premises.

He also stressed that police inquest found she killed herself by hanging and an autopsy conducted by a three-member medical board also found the same.

However, Raudha's family members told the commissioner that they rejected the autopsy findings and that they believed she was murdered.

Raudha, a second-year student of Islami Bank Medical College, was found dead in her room at the women's dormitory of the college in Nawdapara area of Rajshahi city on March 29.

An unnatural death case was filed with Shah Makhdum Police Station.

WHAT BROUGHT RAUDHA TO RAJSHAHI

Her mother Aminath Muharrimath informed that Raudha was pursuing her medical degree on a student scholarship given by the Department of Higher Education in the Maldives.

She had to choose among three countries to be eligible for the scholarship -- Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.  Raudha thought medical education in Bangladesh was better than that of the two other countries and came here, added the bereaved woman.

“She was a topper in academic results. Since her childhood she used to get above 90 percent marks in all subjects,” Raudha's father Mohamed Athif told this correspondent while visiting Islami Bank Medial College campus yesterday.

The grieving father also said his daughter dreamt of visiting her aunt in Australia after her exams in May.

“She was brilliant and had many dreams. Why would she commit suicide?” her father said.