Model and actress Ridhika Ridhi’s boyfriend, Hasibur Rahman, has been sent to jail in a case filed over the actress’s death.
Ridhi’s body was recovered from a residence under Vatara Police Station in Dhaka’s Bashundhara Residential Area early Saturday (15 August).
She was later taken to Kurmitola General Hospital, where doctors declared her dead.
According to the police, Ridhi’s mother, Moni Begum, filed a case on the day of the incident accusing Hasibur of abetting her daughter’s suicide.
Officer-in-charge of Vatara Police Station Mazharul Islam said Hasibur had gone to Ridhi’s residence on the day of the incident and was arrested from there. The investigation into the case is ongoing.
In the case statement, Moni Begum alleged that her daughter, whose real name was Leena Akter, had been in a long-term relationship with Hasibur.
She alleged that the couple frequently argued and that Hasibur subjected her daughter to physical and mental abuse.
According to the complaint, Ridi became mentally distressed as a result of the alleged abuse.
Moni Begum said Ridi had spent most of 14 August at home with her friends Ishan and Jannat.
After dinner, they were talking when Ridi got into an argument with Hasibur over the phone.
The complaint states that Ridi then asked her friends to sleep in the drawing room while she continued talking to Hasibur over a video call.
According to the mother’s account, at around 5:30am, Hasibur arrived at Ridhi’s flat and knocked on the door.
Her friends opened it, after which he allegedly told them that Ridhi had harmed herself following their argument.
The complaint states that they then found Ridhi hanging from a ceiling fan with a scarf around her neck. Her friends and Hasibur rushed her to Kurmitola General Hospital, where doctors declared her dead at around 6:30am.
Moni Begum further alleged that her daughter had no history of suicidal tendencies and claimed Hasibur had repeatedly subjected her to mental harassment and encouraged her to take her own life.
The allegations are part of the case filed by Ridhi’s mother and have not been established in court.
On Sunday (16 August), police produced Hasibur before a Dhaka metropolitan magistrate’s court.
Vatara Police Sub-Inspector and case investigation officer Abdul Wadud sought an order to send him to jail.
After a hearing, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbub Alam granted the police’s application and ordered Hasibur to be sent to jail.
Police said the investigation into Ridhika Ridhi’s death is continuing.
