Allegations have surfaced that a private university student was beaten to death in a student hostel in Khulna city after being accused of stealing and eating someone’s rice. Humayun Kabir, Assistant Commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police, stated that the incident occurred on Friday night (September 18) at a four-story student hostel on Islam Nagar Road, located behind the Khaja Khanjahan Ali Residential Hall near Khulna University.

The deceased, 21-year-old Ajmul Hossain, was the son of Kutub Uddin from Bara Shalua village in Darshana, Chuadanga. He was a first-semester student in the English Department at the city’s private North Western University.

Professor Kanai Lal Sarkar, Vice-Chancellor of North Western University, said that Ajmul Hossain had enrolled at the university on September 10; the university authorities did not know much about him.

He mentioned that they had spoken with Ajmul’s parents and advised them to take legal action. The Vice-Chancellor assured that the university would provide all possible assistance.

Md. Iqbal Hossain, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Harintana Police Station, stated that the incident is under investigation. He added that if Ajmul’s father does not file a case, the police will initiate a case as the plaintiff.

Assistant Commissioner Humayun Kabir of the Metropolitan Police said, “We will take all necessary legal measures regarding this killing.”

According to locals, the entire four-story building serves as a student mess, housing 50 to 60 students. Ajmul had rented room D-8 on the fourth floor—which contains a total of eight rooms—about a year ago. Mehedi, the mess manager and a former student of Gopalganj University of Science and Technology, resides in room D-2.

Locals learned from other students in the mess that Ajmul had eaten Mehedi’s rice on Friday night. Following this, Mehedi, along with several other mess residents and some outsiders, took Ajmul to the rooftop and beat him over the accusation of stealing the rice.

Nearby residents heard the sound of something falling from the roof and subsequently found Ajmul lying in the alley. Other students from the mess later took him by ambulance to Khulna Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Hospital authorities reported that upon hearing the news of his death, the students from the mess quickly left the area in front of the hospital’s emergency department. A doctor from the emergency department of Khulna Medical College Hospital stated that Ajmul bore signs of injury all over his body; both his legs were broken.

Fatema, the mess’s cook, said that Ajmul had previously faced allegations of stealing money and a laptop. However, on Friday night, students from the mess and outsiders beat him up over an accusation that he had stolen and eaten rice. She had tried to stop them, but they did not listen.

A female resident of the building behind the mess reported hearing a loud noise around 12:45 AM on Friday. Upon opening her door and stepping outside, she saw a young man lying in the alley in front of the house. Later, students from the mess took him to the hospital by ambulance.

Ajmul’s father, Kutub Uddin, said, “I have two sons; Ajmul was the eldest. He came to Khulna from home a year ago for his studies. Ajmul hadn’t managed to get into any university in 2025. He had just enrolled at North Western University ten days ago and visited home.”

He added that Ajmul left home on Friday afternoon and arrived in Khulna around 5:30 PM. The last conversation they had with him was over the phone around 9 PM. “He told us then, ‘I am fine; don’t worry about me,'” Kutub Uddin recalled.

He continued, “After midnight, another young man called using my son’s mobile phone. He said, ‘Your son has caused trouble. If you want to get him back, bring one lakh taka immediately; otherwise, you won’t see your son again.’ I replied, ‘We are poor people; where would I get one lakh taka?’ He asked, ‘What do you do?’ I told him I am a farmer. He then said, ‘Come here quickly.’ I said I would come fast by train. He retorted, ‘Whether you come by train, bus, or plane is your business.’ Then, upon arriving in the morning, I found that my son was no longer alive.”

With a tear-choked voice, Kutub Uddin said, “To whom shall I appeal for justice? I won’t seek justice from anyone. We are poor people, and our home is far away. I leave the judgment to Allah.”

Khulna University’s Director of Student Affairs, Professor Md. Salahuddin stated that the incident occurred outside the university premises, so they do not have direct jurisdiction over the matter; however, they have been providing necessary assistance to the police since learning of the incident.