Dipanjan Ghosh Priyam (21), a student of the 2024-25 academic session at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), has drowned while swimming in a pool, sparking various questions and mystery.
The incident took place at the Britannia Swimming Pool in Sylhet around 5:45 PM last Wednesday, where pool staff recovered him from 9-foot-deep water.
He was immediately rushed to Noorjahan Hospital near Darga Gate, Sylhet, where the attending doctor declared him dead.
The deceased, Dipanjan Ghosh Priyam, was a student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at SUST. He was the son of Krishna Dulal Ghosh and Champa Ghosh from Ratankandi village in Shahjadpur, Sirajganj. However, his family resides in Mohammadpur, Dhaka, and Priyam lived in a mess in the Surma residential area near the university campus.
According to classmates and teachers, Priyam was a remarkably brilliant and polite student.
Priyam’s classmates claimed that he knew how to swim. Rumors and suspicion have grown over how Priyam could drown without anyone noticing, even though five friends had entered the pool together.
Students and the public have expressed intense anger and raised serious allegations regarding the pool’s overall security measures, the role of the on-duty staff, and emergency rescue provisions at the time of the incident.
Amirul Islam Abu, an instructor at the swimming pool, stated that per their rules, non-swimmers are prohibited from entering water deeper than 6 feet, but Priyam had moved into the 9-foot-deep section.
Priyam’s classmate Fayaz Nabi said, “Three of us friends used to swim there regularly. Priyam went with us and mentioned that he knew how to swim. He went to the 9-foot-deep area once or twice and returned, but none of us noticed when he went back into the deep end again.”
Meanwhile, the university administration has assured that they will thoroughly investigate the entire matter. SUST Proctor Professor Mokhlesur Rahman stated that necessary action would be taken if any negligence or irregularity is found.
Inspector Abdus Salam of Sylhet Airport Police Station confirmed that appropriate legal measures are being taken regarding the student’s death.
