'Death awaits me' — threatened NCP leader Rumi told comrade before death

Police have recovered the hanging body of NCP leader Jannat Ara Rumi from a girls' hostel in Hazaribagh area of the capital. Party leaders said she had been facing threats and cyber bullying for some time. They alleged that at one stage, she chose the path of suicide.

On Thursday (18 December) morning, Jannat Ara Rumi's body was recovered from the fifth floor of Jannati Girls' Hostel in Jigatola old raw market road area of the capital. She was the joint coordinator of Dhaka metropolitan south (Dhanmondi thana) coordination committee of National Citizen Party (NCP).

In connection with her death, NCP joint member-secretary Tarek Reza shared several posts and screenshots on his verified Facebook page. In one, Jannat Ara Rumi wrote in a Messenger conversation with a comrade, 'Death awaits me'. She mentioned being mentally distressed due to threats and cyber bullying.

Tarek Reza wrote on Facebook, 'I do not know how to write. My hands are shaking. You may remember, last month on the day of Sheikh Hasina's death sentence verdict, how fascist and killer Awami Leaguers created scenes at Dhanmondi 32. There you saw a Gen-Z woman handing over an Awami Leaguer (who wanted to dig Zia's grave) to police after beating him.'

He said, 'That Gen-Z woman, tired of continuous cyber bullying, murder and rape threats from Awami League for the last one month, committed suicide tonight. Name: Jannat Ara Rumi, joint coordinator, NCP Dhanmondi thana. I spoke to Dhanmondi brothers. They tried their best to stand by her in the last one month.'

Alleging no help from administration despite receiving threats all day through cyber bullying and phone calls, Tarek said, 'No one imagined the level of bullying would be so intense that she would choose suicide. We are not ready to see this as suicide. This is murder. Those who destroyed my sister's life, we will not let them live in peace. Oath on my sister's blood!'

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Hazaribagh police station Saiful Islam confirmed the recovery of Rumi's body to The Daily Campus. He said, 'Rumi was involved in NCP politics while staying in the area.' Primarily, police say Rumi committed suicide. It has been mentioned that she was under family-related mental stress.