Mother, two children found dead in Manikganj flat

Police suggest the deaths occurred as a result of marital strife

Police have recovered the bodies of a woman and her two children from a flat in Manikganj.

The bodies were recovered on Tuesday, said police.

The dead were identified as Shikha Akter, 29, her son Arafat Islam Alvi, 9, and daughter Saifa Akter, 2.

Shikha’s husband Shahin Ahmed, 42, previously drove an autorickshaw and has been working in Malaysia for the past month and a half.

Manikganj Police Super Yasmin Khatun said aluminium phosphide was found at the scene.

As the flat was locked from the inside, police suspect Shikha poisoned her children before taking her own life. The exact cause will be confirmed after the post-mortem.

Yasmin said their primary investigations suggest the deaths are a result of marital discord.

Relatives said Shahin had recently rented the flat for his family before leaving for Malaysia.

Neighbours reported that the family kept mostly to themselves.

Alamgir Hossain, a tenant in the same building, said he knocked on their door on Tuesday morning to collect the electricity bill but received no response. The landlord also failed to reach them.

Police broke open the door after being called through the national emergency number 999, finding the bodies inside.