SUST loses three students to drowning in nine months

Three students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) have died in separate drowning incidents over the past nine months while visiting tourist spots in Sylhet or swimming in a pool.

The latest death occurred on Wednesday (September 16), when Dipanjan Ghosh, a student of the Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) Department, drowned while swimming at Britannia Swimming Pool in Choukidighi area of Sylhet city.

University authorities and classmates said the incident occurred around 6pm. His classmates rescued him from the pool and rushed him to Nurjahan Hospital in Dargah Gate area, where doctors declared him dead.

SUST Proctor Professor Mukhlesur Rahman confirmed the incident.

Dipanjan dies in swimming pool

Dipanjan was a student of the 2024-25 academic session in the CSE Department. His death came about four months after another SUST student drowned at Bichanakandi, a popular tourist destination in Sylhet.

Shanto drowns in Bichanakandi

On May 15, Shanto Banik, 22, a student of the Petroleum and Mining Engineering (PME) Department from the 2023-24 academic session, drowned while visiting Bichanakandi. Shanto, a resident of Lahiri Bazar area in Thakurgaon’s Baliadangi upazila, knew how to swim.

On the day of the incident, he and two friends entered a water body near the India-Bangladesh border for a swim at around 4:30pm. At one point, Shanto was swept away by the strong current and drowned in the deep water.

Local people attempted to rescue him but failed. A Fire Service and Civil Defence diving team recovered his body around 9:30pm.

Musab drowns at Lalakhal

Earlier, on January 30, SUST student Musab Amin died after drowning while swimming during a visit to Lalakhal in Sylhet.

Musab was a student of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) Department from the 2022-23 academic session. He did not know how to swim.

Musab and Shanto were both residential students of Syed Mujtaba Ali Hall at SUST.

The deaths of three students within nine months have left their classmates and teachers mourning.

Several university teachers expressed grief over the deaths and urged students to remain cautious around unfamiliar water bodies and while swimming.

“Losing three promising students within such a short period is an irreparable loss for SUST. They were highly talented and had great potential. We extend our deepest condolences to their bereaved families.”

The teachers also called on students to take extra precautions during outings and other activities to avoid such accidents.