Raihan Sharif, a lecturer of the community medicine department of Shaheed M Mansur Ali Medical College and Hospital in Sirajganj, has been suspended over shooting at a student inside a classroom.
The medical college authorities took the decision on Wednesday following the directives of the Directorate General of Medical Education, Professor Amirul Hossain, principal of the college.
Earlier, on Tuesday a Sirajganj court ordered the police to send Raihan to jail.
The decision was handed down on Tuesday by Billal Hossain, judge of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court-1 in Sirajganj, shortly after Raihan’s court appearance.
The police seized two foreign-made pistols, 81 rounds of bullets, four magazines, two knives, and 10 daggers from the bag of the teacher following the shooting incident on Monday.
Raihan Sharif, a lecturer in the community medicine department of the medical college, was the organising secretary of the Rajshahi Medical College Bangladesh Chhatra League.
He was admitted to RMC in the 2010–11 session and passed his MBBS examination in 2016.
He joined Sirajganj medical college as a lecturer in 2023.
The incident, which has sparked widespread condemnation, led to the formation of a three-member investigation committee by the Directorate General of Health Services. The committee visited the medical college on Tuesday to examine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
In response to the grave incident, students of Shaheed M Mansur Ali Medical College and Hospital organised a protest on the Sirajganj-Bogura 4-lane highway, demanding the immediate dismissal and severe punishment of Raihan. Their demands extend to the prime minister’s intervention for the revocation of the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council registration and the permanent removal of the accused from his teaching position. The students eventually suspended their protest after receiving assurances from the DGHS investigative team.
Arafat Amin Tomal, 23, a third-year student and victim of the shooting, is currently receiving medical care. The incident took place on Monday afternoon during a class, resulting in Tomal’s hospitalisation. Raihan was arrested at the scene.
Md Sirajul Islam, the officer-in-charge of the local police station, revealed that Raihan Sharif was known for carrying weapons and knives, which he would openly display during lectures. Sharif reportedly threatened students with these weapons whenever they objected to their presence in the classroom.
The situation escalated during an exam on Monday when, after verbally abusing Tomal, Raihan shot at him, leaving the student wounded. A preliminary investigation has confirmed that the firearm used was illegal, leading to an additional charge against Raihan under the Arms Act.
The victim’s father, Abdullah Al Amin, has filed a case against Raihan with the Sadar police station.
