The hanging body of a student from Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (Ruet) was recovered on Friday around 11pm from a room on the ninth floor of the Ebela dormitory in Rajshahi city.
The deceased, Mehdi Hasan Muhib, was a student of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning (URP), batch 2018-19. He was a native of Rangpur.
Ruet student Rafi Al Hasan said: “Muhib Bhai and I studied at the same school in our hometown. He was my senior and an active member of our district association. He was a cheerful person, so we have no idea why he would take such a step. I learned about the incident through a friend and rushed to the scene, where I saw his hanging body. Ruet teachers, students, police, and forensic personnel were also present there.”
Mehedi Masud, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Boalia Model Police Station, confirmed the incident and said: “It is presumed to be a case of suicide. However, the exact reason is still unknown. We have recovered the body and sent it to the morgue at Rajshahi Medical College (RMC) Hospital. The family has been informed, and legal procedures will follow their decision before handing over the body.”
Ruet's student adviser, Robiul Islam Sarkar, said: “Mehdi was staying in a two-seater room alone, as his roommate was not present. Other dormitory students broke the door and found him hanging. They informed the police, who then recovered the body.”
He further said: “Mehdi’s mother had been trying to reach him on the phone since noon on Friday but couldn’t. By 11pm, she called another student from the dormitory, asking him to check on Mehdi. When they went to his room, they found the door locked from the inside. After breaking it open, they discovered his hanging body.”
The student adviser said that Mehdi’s batchmates had completed their graduation, but he couldn’t graduate due to failing one subject.
This caused him significant depression, and he was undergoing treatment from a psychiatrist.
It is suspected that his mental health issues may have led him to take his own life.
Expressing concern over the recurring suicides among Ruet students, the student adviser said: “This is a serious issue. Following similar incidents in the past, we hired a professor from Rajshahi University’s Department of Psychology on a contract basis. He visits Ruet three days a week to provide counselling to students struggling with mental health issues.”