A teacher of Rajshahi University has been stabbed to death by miscreants in Chowdyapaya area of the city.
Shafiul Islam Lilon, a professor of social science at the university, was taken to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital after he had come under attack at noon and Director of the hospital Brigadier General Nasir Uddin officially declared him dead around 04:45pm.
“He received several injuries in his head which caused excessive bleeding, eventually leading to his death,” said Nasir.
Lilon's death was rumoured when he was about to undergo an operation after being taken to the hospital by a university car around 3:15pm. Doctors took him to the intensive care unit instead of carrying out the procedure but he died soon after.
Officer-in-Charge of Motihar police station Alamgir Hossain said the killing appeared to be a premeditated one and a machete (chapati) was recovered from the crime scene, but could not ascertain the motive for the murder.
Soon after Lilon's death, Rajshahi University Teachers' Association announced boycott of classes and exams scheduled for today.
General Secretary of the association Professor Pranab Kumar Pandey said the programme was announced to highlight the demand for quick arrest of the culprits, and more announcements would follow.
University students marched in protest through the campus around 5pm. They also blocked Rajshahi-Natore road and staged demonstration.
Vice-chancellor of the university Professor Dr Muhammad Mizanuddin said he suspected that it was a premeditated killing.