A distressing incident has unfolded in the Jamalganj Upazila of Sunamganj, where Assistant Commissioner (Land) Arifur Rahman sparked widespread concern after posting a message on social media blaming the local Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Shilpi Rani Modok, for his potential death. In the same post, he also declared his resignation from the administration cadre, triggering an immediate response from local law enforcement and administrative officials.
The incident occurred late Friday night. Upon seeing the alarming post, police and local officials rushed to the Assistant Commissioner's residence, where they reportedly found him exhibiting signs of severe mental distress and abnormal behavior. Medical professionals from the local health complex were summoned to provide emergency care. Given the gravity of his condition, he was initially moved to a private hospital in Sylhet and subsequently to the Osmani Medical College Hospital. He has since been transferred to Dhaka for specialized medical treatment.
Arifur Rahman, who has been serving as the AC (Land) in Jamalganj for approximately two months, had been celebrating his three-year-old daughter's birthday on the night of the incident. According to the UNO, Shilpi Rani Modok, the family had been at her residence just minutes before the post was published to cut a birthday cake. The UNO expressed deep confusion regarding the allegations, noting that the AC had appeared to be in a normal state of mind during the gathering.
Addressing the media, the UNO stated, "The Assistant Commissioner is clearly suffering from a mental health crisis. I am as baffled as everyone else as to why he would mention my name in such a post. We are waiting for him to recover so that we can understand the context of his actions." She added that the abnormal behavior was witnessed by several people present at the scene, including medical staff.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the local administrative circles, raising questions about the pressures faced by field-level officers and the necessity for better mental health support within the civil service. While the administration is currently prioritizing the officer's health and recovery, the incident has prompted discussions regarding the need for a formal inquiry into the circumstances leading to the outburst.
As of now, the district administration is monitoring the situation closely. The UNO has indicated that a formal statement or press conference will be held once the officer has regained his health and is in a position to clarify the events of that night.
