Case filed over 'unnatural deaths' of expatriate man, son in Sylhet

Delwar Ahmed starts the case over the 'unnatural deaths' of his brother-in-law and nephew, both British citizens

The building where Rafiqul Islam and four other members of the family were found unconscious in Sylhet.

A case has been filed over the 'unnatural deaths' of two members of a UK-based Bangladeshi family of five after they were found unconscious at a house in Sylhet’s Osmani Nagar.

Delwar Ahmed, the brother-in-law of Rafiqul Islam, one of the victims, started the case on Thursday, said Sylhet District Superintendent of Police Farid Uddin.

The five were found unconscious on Tuesday at a rented flat in the Tajpur area of Osmani Nagar. Rafiqul, who was in his fifties, and his son Mahiqul Islam, 18, died on the way to the hospital.

Delwar and Mahiqul were buried at the family graveyard after a funeral prayer service on Thursday.

Rafiqul’s wife Husnara Begum, 40, their daughter Samira Islam, 19, and son Sadiqul Islam, 21, are currently undergoing treatment at Sylhet’s MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.

Husnara and Sadiqul are showing signs of improvement, but Samira remains in critical condition, said Dr Shishir Chakrabarty, who is overseeing their treatment.

Police have spoken to Husnara and Sadiqul and are also questioning close relatives, SP Farid Uddin said. No arrest has been made yet over the incident.

"The samples collected from the victims will be sent to Chattogram for a test on Saturday. The cause of death will be known after that," he said.

“After discussing the overall situation with the doctors and inspecting the scene, we believe this may have been a case of poisoning,” he added.

5 UK-based Bangladeshis found unconscious in Sylhet were poisoned: police

Police arrived on the scene soon after the incident was reported on Tuesday and spoke to the other residents of the building as part of a preliminary investigation.

The family had rented the flat on Jul 18 after Sadiqul fell sick, according to officials. Rafiqul Islam’s in-laws lived in the same building.

Addressing the incident, SP Farid Uddin said, "After dinner on Monday, they all fell asleep in the same room. Between 10 am and 10:30 am on Tuesday, their relatives tried to open the door to the flat. They called the police when they heard no sound from inside. Police found the door locked, broke it open, and found five people lying unconscious. The father and the youngest son were declared dead in the hospital."

Police have questioned Rafiqul’s father-in-law Anfor Ali, mother-in-law Badrunnesa, brother-in-law Delwar and his wife Shova Begum in connection with the incident.