Medical College Teacher Jailed 21 Years for Shooting Student in Leg During Class

A special court in Sirajganj has sentenced Dr. Rayhan Shariful, a former lecturer in the Department of Community Medicine, to 21 years of rigorous imprisonment for shooting a medical student inside a classroom. Judge Md. Iqbal Hossain of the Sirajganj Special Tribunal-1 and District and Sessions Court pronounced the verdict on Monday (May 18) afternoon.

The convict was handed down the prison sentence under two separate sections of the Arms Act of 1878 for shooting the student and unlawfully possessing illegal foreign pistols, ammunition, and magazines. Public Prosecutor (PP) Advocate Rafiq Sarkar confirmed the details of the landmark judgment to members of the press.

In the judicial observations, the court noted that Rayhan Shariful is a highly educated individual who was entrusted with the sacred professional responsibility of lecturing at a medical college. However, deviating completely from professional ethics, he illegally stockpiled two foreign-made pistols, a massive cache of ammunition, magazines, and sophisticated daggers and knives. Furthermore, he routinely carried these weapons to his workplace, which ultimately led to the shooting of an innocent student, Arafat Amin Tomal.

The court further observed that Rayhan Shariful had been actively involved in armed cadre politics since his student days and continued his violent tendencies even after entering government service. As a result, he lacked any moral restraint or hesitation when attacking colleagues, parents, or members of society.

Legal penalization and sentencing

The Special Tribunal convicted Rayhan Shariful under two distinct clauses of the Arms Act of 1878:

• Section 19(A): Sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment for the possession of illegal firearms.

• Section 19(F): Sentenced to an additional 7 years of rigorous imprisonment for the possession of unauthorized ammunition and military-grade knives.

The incident dates back to March 4, 2024, on the fourth floor of the academic building at the Sirajganj Medical College (then known as the Shaheed M. Monsur Ali Medical College). During an active classroom session, Dr. Rayhan Shariful drew a weapon over a trivial argument and shot third-year student Arafat Amin Tomal in the leg, sparking nationwide outrage and student protests.

Upon receiving emergency calls, law enforcement personnel rushed to the campus, detained the lecturer, and seized two foreign pistols, 81 rounds of live ammunition, four magazines, and two advanced daggers from his possession.

A formal criminal lawsuit was Subsequently filed under the Arms Act by Sub-Inspector (SI) Md. Wadud Ali of the Sirajganj Sadar Police Station. Following an extensive trial and meticulous evaluation of forensic evidence and eyewitness testimonies, the court delivered the final punitive verdict.