Travel ban for Bashundhara Group MD sued over abetting suicide

A Dhaka court imposed a travel ban on Sayem Sobhan Anvir, managing director of the Bashundhara Group, barring him from leaving the country following the filing of a case over allegedly abetting suicide of a young girl on Monday.

The deceased, identified as Mosarat Jahan Munia, 21, was found dead in a flat in Dhaka's Gulshan area. Munia, from Cumilla, was a higher secondary student at a college in the capital, said police.

The victim's sister filed the case with the Gulshan police station under Section 306 of the Penal Code, according to the case statement.

Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, deputy commissioner (Gulshan Division), said they filed the petition with the court to impose the travel ban following due process. At the same time, the immigration authorities were asked to take steps so that Sayem Sobhan cannot leave the country.

"The victim rented the flat in March. She used to live there alone," said Deputy Commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakrabarty.

He further said, "Munia informed her elder sister on Sunday that she was in trouble. Hearing this, her sister Nusrat came from Cumilla to Dhaka on Monday and rushed to Munia's flat in the evening.

"Nusrat knocked at the door but there was no response from inside. She also found that Munia's phone could not be reached. Later, she broke the door lock and entered the flat and found her sister hanging from a ceiling fan," said the police official.

"After getting an autopsy report, we will be able to know the cause of her death," said Sudip Kumar Chakraborty.

"We will take steps after proper investigation," he said adding, "CCTV footage has been collected. We are analysing footage."

Nusrat alleged that her sister had a relationship with Anvir. Munia recently had a dispute with him over sharing of a photo of an iftar party on social media.

What Munia's family members said

After the autopsy, Munia's family members took her body to the village house for burial.

Munia's brother-in-law Mizanur Rahman told reporters at the morgue, "Munia did not commit suicide. Someone killed her, looking at her flat it did not seem she that she committed suicide. There was a stool on the bed, but it was standing. If she committed suicide, the stool should have fallen."

Mizanur also said Munia had a relationship with Anvir after they got acquainted through Facebook. Later, Anvir rented her a flat in Banani. When Anvir's mother came to know about it, she threatened Munia. After that Munia left for Cumilla.

When Anvir contacted Munia again, she came to Dhaka two months ago.

Gulshan police Sub-Inspector (SI) Mohammad Shamim Hossain mentioned in the inquest report that the body had a crescent-shaped mark on the left side of the neck. The tongue came out half an inch. No signs of injuries were found on the body. The forensic department will check whether the victim was poisoned or raped.

Where is Anvir?

However, Deputy Commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty said they are certain that the accused is in the country, that is why they request the court impose the travel ban on him.

Deputy Inspector General (Immigration) of special branch, Monirul Islam told TBS that their software shows that Anvir has not left the country.