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Former president of a faction of Dhaka University Chhatra Union, Meghmallar Basu, has been hospitalised after being found unconscious in the Ramna Gate area of Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka.
He was rescued late Monday night and taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he is currently under observation, said Inspector Md Habibur Rahman, in-charge of the hospital police outpost.
Quoting doctors, he said Meghmallar is currently out of danger.
Friends staying with him at the hospital said Meghmallar posted what appeared to be a “suicide note” on Facebook on Monday night. In the post, he reportedly wrote about personal frustration, guilt, family matters and experiences from his political life.
He also urged his friends and fellow activists not to blame his former girlfriend for his death and asked them to look after his mother and family.
After seeing the post, students of Dhaka University and activists of different student organisations began searching for him. Later, anti-discrimination student movement coordinator Abdul Kader reportedly found him unconscious near a gate of Suhrawardy Udyan.
He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 12:30am, where doctors performed gastric lavage.
Meghmallar is currently undergoing treatment in Bed 3 of Room 602 at the hospital.
His friend Toma said she became worried after seeing his Facebook post and contacted several friends, but none could provide information about his whereabouts. She later learned through a Facebook post that Meghmallar had been rescued.
She said he had been suffering from depression over various issues for some time.
Earlier in February, Meghmallar had also received treatment at a hospital after allegedly taking an excessive amount of medication.
After recovering, he resumed political activities. However, in July, he resigned from Chhatra Union and joined the newly formed political platform Network for Peoples Action (NPA).
The NPA emerged earlier this year, initially announcing the names of 99 members. Meghmallar’s association with the platform was reported at the time. In July, he himself announced his resignation from Chhatra Union and decision to join the NPA.
Regarding his hospitalisation in February, his classmates had said he had been unwell since the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) election and was rescued and taken to hospital after taking an excessive amount of medication.
In September last year, Meghmallar contested the post of general secretary in the DUCSU election from the “Protirodh Parishad” panel, backed by seven left-leaning student organisations. He finished third with around 5,000 votes.
He had also fallen ill during the DUCSU election campaign. On September 1 last year, he was admitted to hospital and underwent surgery for appendicitis.
