Railways minister’s brother found dead in Dhaka lake

Railways Minister Md Mazibul Hoque’s elder brother has been found dead in a lake in Dhaka.

Former bureaucrat ABM Abdul Latif’s body was found at the Dhanmondi Lake, said police.

Quoting family members, Assistant Police Commissioner of Dhanmondi Zone Rezaul Islam said that Latif, who retired as an additional secretary, was missing after he left his home for a walk around 9pm on Saturday.

The body was spotted around 11:45am on Sunday at the lake adjacent to Dhanmondi Road 2 nearby the main entrance of the BGB headquarters, said the police official.

The body had no injury marks, but torn grass was found in one of the hands, Islam said. “It seems he tried to grab the grass while falling down.”

Some cash was found in his pocket, but his mobile phone is missing.

“Family members suspect he fell into the lake accidentally while walking. And that’s why they do not want an autopsy", said Islam.

Minister Mazibul Hoque’s family hails from Sripur Union of Comilla’s Chouddagram Upazila.

Latif was the seventh of the eight siblings while the minister is the youngest.

He will be buried at the family graveyard in his ancestral home in Basuara Village, said Hoque.

Latif retired in 2002 as an additional secretary of the industries ministry and is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.

His son Salman Latif said that his father went out for a walk on Saturday like every day, but was missing since then.

The family went to the local police station to file a general diary, but the news of the body floating in the lake came in just then.

The body was taken to Latif’s home in Dhanmondi Road 5 from the lake.

Railways minister also rushed in. “The family does not want an autopsy,” he told reporters.

The family has started for Comilla with the body for the funeral and burial.