A video circulating on social media showing a young man wielding a stick and advancing aggressively towards a woman at Dhaka University’s Teachers-Student Centre (TSC) has ignited widespread outrage. The individual has been identified as Md. Rakib, who is reportedly a prime suspect in a high-profile murder case in Gazipur. Victims’ representatives have alleged that despite his criminal status, the authorities have failed to apprehend him.
Md. Rakib hails from Sofipur Bazar, Kaliakoir Upazila, Gazipur, and is the son of Abdur Rahim. He is enrolled in the 2023–24 academic year of the Department of World Religions and Cultures at Dhaka University. His peers know him as Ahmed Rakib. His twin brother, Md. Sakib, is also implicated in the same murder case. Though both brothers have been absconding since the case was filed, they have reportedly been sighted in Dhaka and its surrounding areas multiple times.
The viral video depicts two women at TSC, one of whom is approached menacingly by Rakib with a stick. The victim is seen tearfully demanding justice. She explained that they had come to TSC after having pre-dawn meals (Sahri) in Old Dhaka and were harassed while on campus. In response to the incident, university authorities formed a three-member investigative committee early Wednesday morning.
Local sources and police reports indicate that on 9 September 2024, a young man named Sabbir Hossain was brutally attacked and thrown from the rooftop of a ten-storey building in Sofipur West Para, Kaliakoir. Rakib and his twin brother Sakib were named as prime suspects. According to the case statement, the two brothers, along with Sabbir and two local minors, went to a gym together. Rakib and Sakib then went to the roof of their residence, Unique Tower, sending the minors to buy snacks. When the minors returned, they found Sabbir lying below in a pool of blood. On investigating the roof, they discovered blood-stained weapons and clipped nails. Sabbir’s elder brother, Md. Mohiuddin Abir, filed the murder case against the three. Since then, the accused have been evading law enforcement.
| Case Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Victim | Sabbir Hossain |
| Location | Sofipur West Para, Kaliakoir, Gazipur |
| Date of Incident | 9 September 2024 |
| Accused | Md. Rakib, Md. Sakib |
| Complainant | Md. Mohiuddin Abir |
| Filing Police Station | Kaliakoir Police Station |
| Investigating Authority | Gazipur Detective Branch (DB) |
Abir told Our representative that although the case was initially registered at Kaliakoir Police Station, it was later transferred to the Gazipur Detective Branch for reasons unknown. After months of investigation, the DB submitted the charge sheet to the court five to six months ago, but no arrest warrants have been issued yet. He also noted that Rakib has been seen publicly several times, including during Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) election campaigns alongside vice-presidential candidate Abidul Islam.
Kaliakoir Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge, Khondkar Nasir Uddin, stated, “Since the DB handled the investigation, it is their responsibility to make any arrests. We will act if the court issues a warrant.” Md. Hasmat Ullah, Acting OC of Gazipur DB, added, “Due to the national context, no previous operations were conducted, but arrests will be pursued now.”
The incident has raised serious concerns about student safety and campus security, highlighting the challenges of enforcing law even when suspects are visible in public spaces.