Oprotim laid to rest, CoU students block highway demanding justice

Students of Comilla University (CoU) on Sunday blocked the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in Cumilla, demanding justice for the murder of Oprotim, the teenage son of university teacher Dr Nahida Begum. 

Around 11:30am, the students staged a sit-in and blocked the highway at Kotbari Bishwaroad, bringing traffic on the busy route to a halt.

During the protest, they chanted slogans demanding a speedy trial in the murder case and exemplary punishment for those responsible.

The students said they would continue their movement until those responsible are brought to justice.

Earlier,  Ishayat Shahriar Oprotim’s first janaza was held at the CoU central playground around 10am. His second janaza was held at Gandhamati in Cumilla at 11am, after which he was laid to rest there.

Before the burial, Oprotim’s father, KM Firoz Shahriar, said he wanted to see justice served for the killing of his son.

“My innocent 13-year-old boy had committed no crime. Why, then, did he have to lose his life like this? At this moment, I only want the perpetrators to face the harshest punishment,” he said.

Oprotim’s body was recovered from a hillock behind Magic Paradise Park on Saturday, around 22 hours after he went missing.

He left home around 3:30pm on Friday, telling his mother that he was going to Shalban Vihara with friends to take photographs. He was carrying his mother’s iPhone at the time, Nahida said in a Facebook post on Friday.

Police have so far detained three people in connection with Oprotim’s death. They are Tuhin, Anas and Fahim, all aged between 18 and 20.