Seven bodies recovered in Keraniganj in 10 days, residents alarmed

A wave of anxiety and fear has gripped residents of Keraniganj, on the outskirts of Dhaka, after seven bodies were recovered in the area within just 10 days.

The incidents include a killing linked to a romantic relationship, a stabbing death, a mysterious death, and the recovery of bodies belonging to three women and one mason. The series of incidents has prompted local residents to raise questions about the law and order situation in the area.

On Saturday, the body of Md Chan Mia, 65, a mason, was recovered from an abandoned brick kiln area behind Ad-din Momin Medical College Hospital in the Shuvadya union of southern Keraniganj. His body bore marks of injury. The body has been sent to the morgue of Sir Salimullah Medical College (Mitford) Hospital for post-mortem examination.

Looking back over recent days, one such body has surfaced roughly every one or two days over the past ten days. While the mystery behind one or two of these deaths has been solved, the circumstances behind most of the killings remain unknown.

On 30 July, the body of auto-rickshaw driver Liyakat Ali, 60, was recovered from the Bhatarakandi area of Hazratpur; he had been stabbed to death. Police have since solved the case and arrested those allegedly involved.

Among these, the most talked-about incident was the murder of teenager Tanzila on 28 July in the Madinanagar area under Keraniganj Model Police Station. Within 24 hours of the incident, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) arrested her boyfriend, Rana Howlader. Based on information he provided, police recovered the knife used in the murder, a mobile phone, and stolen jewellery. He later gave a confessional statement before the court.

On 26 July, the body of a woman named Momtaz, 30, was recovered from the Kholamora area. With the help of technical and intelligence information, police solved the murder and arrested the accused, identified as Mintu.

On the same day, the partially decomposed body of an unidentified woman was recovered from an abandoned plot in the Jhilmil residential project in southern Keraniganj. The PBI, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and local police are working to establish her identity.

Earlier, on 21 July, the body of Ruhul Amin, 40, was found hanging in the Kholamora area; he had reportedly been under pressure from debt and financial hardship. Police have filed an unnatural death case and are investigating.

Read More

Ishraque terms Hasina’s claim to return as ‘political deception’

Speaking on the matter, Additional Superintendent of Police for the Keraniganj circle, Mohammad Jamilul Haque, said the mysteries behind the high-profile killings had already been solved. The accused in the murder cases of Momtaz, Tanzila, and Liyakat Ali have been arrested, he said, adding that investigations into the deaths of the unidentified woman and mason Chan Mia, along with the remaining cases, are being pursued with due seriousness.

Following this series of body recoveries over the past week, concerned local residents have demanded stronger security in secluded areas and residential projects, increased regular patrolling, and the swift conclusion of investigations to bring the perpetrators to justice.