The murder of Assistant Professor Asma Sadia Runa, head of the Department of Social Welfare at Islamic University, has triggered immediate administrative action and widespread public protest. Yesterday, the university temporarily suspended three staff members implicated in the case and established a five-member committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killing.
Acting Registrar Professor Manjurul Haque confirmed the measures, noting that the suspension was necessary under university employment rules, as the three individuals are formally named in the murder investigation.
Table of Contents
Temporarily Suspended Staff
| Name | Position | Department/Hall | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishwajit Kumar Biswas | Assistant Registrar | Ummul Muminin Ayesha Siddiqua Hall | Named in murder case |
| Shyam Sundar Sarkar | Assistant Professor | Department of Social Welfare | Named in murder case |
| Habibur Rahman | Staff | Department of Social Welfare | Named in murder case |
Investigative Committee
The five-member committee is chaired by Professor Mizanur Rahman of the Department of Accounting and Information Systems, with the Academic Branch Deputy Registrar (Education) Golam Mowla appointed as member-secretary. Other members include:
Professor Dr Rashiduzzaman, Department of Bengali
Professor Dr Obaidul Islam, Student Adviser
Professor Dr Gazi Arifuzzaman Khan, Provost of Lalon Shah Hall
The committee has been tasked with delivering its report promptly.
Family Protests in Kushtia
Asma Sadia’s four children, accompanied by family members, held a human chain and public assembly at Kushtia Press Club at 10:00 am yesterday, demanding justice for their mother. University faculty and students joined the protest.
Her eldest child, Iffat Tayyiba Ilma, expressed the family’s grief: “Our mother would always comfort us to sleep. Now, without her, my younger siblings cannot rest. We stay awake, hoping for justice. Those who took her life must be held accountable.”
Placards read: “Return Our Mother” and “We Are Motherless, Four Siblings”. The children were supported by their father, Imtiaz Sultan, and other relatives, with the youngest two in family members’ arms.
Students Submit Demands
In the afternoon, students presented a memorandum to Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Nakeeb Mohammad Nasrullah, giving a 15-day ultimatum for justice. Their demands included:
Immediate trial and punishment of the perpetrators
Compensation of BDT 40 million for the family within 30 days
Provision of all university entitlements to the family
Commemoration of the late professor by naming a significant university facility after her
The murder has profoundly affected the university community. The combination of administrative action, public protest, and student advocacy underscores the urgent call for justice and institutional accountability.