Forty-Eight-Hour Ultimatum Issued in Mehedi Murder Case

For the sixth consecutive day, students, parents, and local residents staged extensive demonstrations, human chains, and road blockades in the Ramganj Upazila of Lakshmipur district. The protesters are demanding the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of those responsible for the murder of school student Mehedi Hasan.

The demonstration escalated on Sunday, 21 June 2026, at approximately 11:00 am, when more than one thousand people from various educational institutions across the upazila converged at the main intersection of Ramganj municipal town. The large gathering caused temporary disruptions to vehicular movement in the area as protesters voiced their grievances regarding administrative delays.

Institutional Background and Criminal Case Details

The victim, Mehedi Hasan, was a Year 8 student at the Farid Ahmed Bhuiyan Academy. His body was recovered on 16 June 2026 from the residential hall of the institution. According to the documented details of the case, the student was killed by senior students, who subsequently suspended the body to misrepresent the homicide as a suicide. Following the discovery of the body, a formal murder case was initiated, explicitly naming 18 individuals as defendants.

The demonstrators expressed sharp dissatisfaction over the fact that six days have elapsed since the murder was committed, yet not a single suspect has been apprehended by law enforcement agencies. This perceived lack of progress has fueled growing public resentment amongst the student body and the local community.

Administrative Responses and the Current Ultimatum

During the protest on Sunday, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Ramganj Police Station, Firoz Uddin Chowdhury, arrived at the intersection to address the crowd. The OC stated that the named suspects are currently evading arrest and have gone into hiding. He assured the public that multiple specialised police teams are actively deployed to locate and detain the fugitives.

Following the police briefing, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Kazi Atikur Rahman, engaged in formal dialogue with the leaders of the demonstration to de-escalate the blockade. Unsatisfied with verbal assurances alone, the organisers issued a definitive 48-hour ultimatum to the local administration to deliver visible progress in the investigation. The protesters then temporarily suspended their demonstrations pending the expiry of the deadline.

The chronological facts, case metrics, and administrative details of the ongoing situation are structured in the table below:

Law enforcement agencies have reiterated that operations are ongoing across the district to track down the 18 accused individuals. Meanwhile, the student body has indicated that future operational steps and further blockades will be determined based on the administrative outcome at the conclusion of the 48-hour period.