3 of same family found dead in Manikganj

Police recovered the bodies of three members of a family from a house in Manikganj Sadar upazila on Saturday. Police suspect the husband killed his wife and one-and-a-half-year-old daughter before taking his own life.

The deceased were Akram Hossain, 40, his wife Priyanka Akter, 24, and their one-and-a-half-year-old daughter Aliza Akter.

The bodies were recovered around noon from their home in Jannakandi Ghonapara area of Krishnapur union.

According to police and locals, Akram returned home from abroad about two months ago and had mostly stayed inside the house since then. On Saturday morning, Akram’s mother noticed him hanging from a ceiling fan after the family did not respond to repeated calls.

Locals later entered the house by cutting through the tin wall and found Akram hanging from the fan, while Priyanka and Aliza were lying on the floor. Police recovered the bodies and sent them to Manikganj Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

Police said Akram may have struck Priyanka on the head with a brick and later attacked the child when she cried. The child was allegedly suffocated. Police suspect Akram then used his wife’s scarf to hang himself.

However, Priyanka’s family members have alleged that she and her daughter were deliberately killed. They accused members of her in-laws’ family of being involved and demanded a proper investigation.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Operations) Moharam Ali said police initially suspect that a family dispute led Akram to kill his wife and daughter before taking his own life.