A legal notice has been served demanding the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the killings of Dhaka University student and Chhatra Dal leader Shahriar Shammo, 25, third-year student of the Department of Islamic History and Culture Abu Bakar Siddique and Tofazzal Hossain.
The notice also seeks compensation of Tk50 crore for each victim's family and calls for concrete measures to ensure the safety and security of Dhaka University’s students, faculty and officials.
The notice was addressed to the Dhaka University authorities, including the vice-chancellor, pro-vice chancellor (Administration), pro-vice chancellor (Education), registrar and proctor, the secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, the inspector general of Police (IGP) and the director general of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
On Wednesday, the notice was sent via email by Supreme Court lawyers Barrister Md Solaiman Tushar, Barrister Mahdi Zaman (Boni), Advocate Bayezid Hossain, Advocate Naim Sardar (Ayon) and Advocate Shahed Siddique.
According to the notice, the respondents’ negligence directly contributed to the deaths of Shahriar Shammo on Tuesday, Abu Bakar Siddique on 3 February 2010 and Tofazzal Hossain on 18 September 2024.
The respondents cannot evade responsibility for these incidents.
The notice demands the immediate formation of a judicial commission to uncover the causes of these deaths, implementation of effective security measures for the university community and payment of Tk50 crore in compensation to each victim’s family.
The recipients have been given three days to take appropriate action.
Failure to comply will result in legal proceedings, including the filing of a writ petition with the High Court Division of the Supreme Court.
Speaking on the matter, Barrister Md Solaiman Tushar said that the recurring killings on the Dhaka University campus are deeply unfortunate and reflect the authorities’ failure to ensure student safety.
He warned that if no action is taken following the notice, a writ will be filed in the Supreme Court.