A college teacher who was brutally hacked by a local drug and online gambling syndicate for protesting social crimes, died Friday night while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Dhaka.

The deceased, Ariful Islam, 35, was a teacher at Lalmonirhat Government Technical School and College. He was the son of Abu Bakar Siddique from Gandhamarua, a village bordering India under the Durgapur union of Aditmari upazila.

To curb drugs, gambling, and child marriage, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu had initiated a social movement named "Alokito Lalmonirhat." Led by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of Police (SP), the committee of this movement includes civil society members and teachers from the ward level to the central committee.

Following the movement's objectives, Ariful had recently warned a large online gambling and drug ring in his village led by Rohidul Islam (son of the late Anwar Hossain), along with Hasan Ali, Mehedi Hasan, Parvez, Momin Mia, and Hridoy Mia, telling them he would inform law enforcement if they did not stop.

In retaliation, on August 1, Rohidul's gang ambushed Ariful on his way home from college, hacking him on the head with sharp weapons. Locals rescued the bleeding teacher and took him to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital, which immediately referred him to Rangpur Medical College Hospital. As his condition deteriorated, he was transferred to the ICU of Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, and later to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He succumbed to his injuries after a 21-day battle for survival across multiple hospitals.

Tragically, on August 6, Ariful’s pregnant wife gave birth to a baby boy via C-section, meaning the teacher passed away without ever seeing the face of his newborn son.

Following the attack, Ariful’s father filed a case against 10 people at Aditmari Police Station on August 2. While eight of the suspects secured bail from the court, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested the fleeing prime accused, Rohidul, on the night of August 12 from the Hatirjheel Nayatola area in Dhaka.

Upon hearing the news of Ariful's death, angry villagers vandalized and set fire to the houses of the accused on Friday night.

Nazmus Sakib Sajib, Aditmari Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC), said police personnel have been deployed to the area to restore order.