Life lost to a mindless mob
While it's most likely that Patharghata's Tofazzal will be known as the person who—on suspicion of being a thief—became a victim of mob violence at the hands of the students of Dhaka University's Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall, his life was one of tumult and upheaval. He was a survivor of tremendous hardships and mental health issues, a person with a difficult and complex life story that came to an untimely and sorry end.
Those who knew Tofazzal say he was very talented. He was the son of Abdur Rahman of Charduani village in Kathaltali union of Barguna's Patharghata upazila. He was the youngest of two brothers. He lost his parents at a young age—his father in 2011, and his mother Beauty Begum in 2014. He was unlucky in love and traumatised by that experience. His older brother, Nasir Uddin, was a sub-inspector of police, and he too passed away on April 7, 2023. By this time, he had become mentally unstable, said Sharifa Akhtar, his elder brother's wife.
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Before that, he passed his honours and master's degree in Bangla from Pirojpur Govt Suhrawardy College. He was once the president of his union's Chhatra League unit. His family had hoped that he would do something great in life. But within days of completing his studies, he started showing symptoms of mental health issues. At one point, he got separated from his family.
And on Wednesday night, the light of his life was extinguished in Dhaka University's Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall at the age of 30.
The news of Tofazzal's death has cast a shadow of mourning in his native area.
Sharifa said that Tofazzal was separated from the family due to mental health problems. "Still, why should he be killed? We want justice for this murder."
Tofazzal's uncle Fazlul Haque said, "I want exemplary justice for those who brutally killed Tofazzal."
Arifuzzaman Al Imran, a student of DU and a neighbour of Tofazzal, posted a status on Facebook where he wrote, "He was a very kind, philanthropic student leader. Being traumatised in a love affair in his early personal life, he lost some of his mental stability. Within a few years, Tofazzal's parents and his only elder brother died. His mental health eventually collapsed in the last 3-4 years. For the past two to three years, Tofazzal used to roam around the DU campus. Everyone who knew him in our area was supportive. Whenever I met him, I would ask him for treat or give me some money for food, or he would ask for it sometimes. He didn't have any needs other than a little food and money."
"Ah Dhaka University! An innocent life was lost today for the mindless students, and Dhaka University was tarnished. There is no one left in the family to seek justice for Tofazzal's murder," wrote Imran.
Meanwhile Tofazzal's cousin Farooq Hossain said, "We heard this morning that Tofazzal was brutally beaten to death. Now his body has been taken to Dhaka Medical College for autopsy. Our cousin Shahadat Hossain is with him. After the formalities at the police station, they'll leave for home with his body."
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