A Dhaka University student reportedly died after consuming a toxic substance at his rented apartment on Moneshwar Road in Hazaribagh of the capital early Friday morning.
Saidul Amin Simanto, son of Sadarul Amin, was a final-year student in the Chemistry Department at Dhaka University. His family hails from Birgaon village under Monohardi police station in Narsingdi.
He shared a ground-floor room in a five-story building with another tenant.
According to his uncle, Ruhul Amin, Simanto’s roommate returned home around 12:30am and found the door locked. After knocking for several minutes without response, he called Ruhul Amin.
On arriving, the uncle broke open the door and found Simanto unconscious on the bed. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
The exact substance ingested could not be confirmed.
Ruhul Amin said Simanto had been struggling emotionally, particularly after his mother died during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also had a younger sister who is physically challenged, which added to his distress.
Hazaribagh Police Sub-Inspector Md Zahid Hasan confirmed that Simanto’s roommate was not present at the time of the incident.
Preliminary investigations suggest that Simanto may have taken insecticide due to depression over his family circumstances.
