Couple found dead at their home in Dhaka’s Wari

Toy trader Muhid had been suffering from cancer for a long time and the couple seldom left their house, police say

Police have recovered the bodies of a couple from their home on the fifth floor of Zamzam Tower in Wari’s Hare Street.

The bodies were recovered after the house owner called the police around 8:30pm on Saturday, said Wari police chief Faisal Ahmed.

He said, “The bodies of Md Muhid, 32, and his wife Irin Akter, 35, were recovered lying on the bed beside each other.”

“Muhid’s body has already started decomposing. It is assumed the husband died a few days back and the wife died at least yesterday.”

No sign of suicide was found at the scene. The bodies, too, did not contain any injury marks.

Under the circumstances, the bodies were sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for an autopsy to determine the cause of death, the officer said.

Muhid and Irin tied the knot in 2010 without their families' consent. Since then, they have had no contact with their families and have lived in the house since 2022, he added.

According to police, Muhid, a plastic toy trader, had been suffering from cancer for a long time. The couple rarely left their house unless it was necessary.

Muhid was a native of Cumilla’s Titas Upazila while Irin was from Chauddagram.

Faisal said, “Every month they used to pay the house rent via mobile banking platform bKash. On Tuesday, the house owner called them for the payment of the rent for the ongoing month and they said they would pay on Wednesday.

“As they didn’t make the payment on Wednesday, the owner called them again on Thursday but the couple did not answer the phone. The owner thought they didn’t pick up because they failed to arrange the money."

“On Saturday, the owner went and knocked on their door but no one opened it or responded. Then, as suggested by other tenants, the owner informed the police who broke into the house and recovered the bodies.”

Police believe Muhid could have died from natural causes, but his death left Irin feeling "helpless" and she died by suicide after consuming sleeping pills.

However, no sign of sleeping pills was found at the scene, said Sub Inspector Kowsar Ahmed of Wari Police Station. “We can determine the cause of death only after receiving the forensic report.”

Police recovered a paper slip from the house, he said.

“We think it was written by Irin Akter. Probably, it was written to Muhid’s brother, requesting him to bury the couple next to each other and to refrain from informing their families.”