Death of Keya: Husband yet to be found, 4 children given to deceased’s parents after protest at Mirpur police station

Relatives of a housewife named Fahmida Tahsin Keya protested in front of Mirpur Model Police Station last night (15 August), with her body, demanding justice after her mysterious death last Wednesday (13 August).

Keya, 25, lived with her husband, Sifat Ali, and children in an apartment in West Shewrapara. Sifat has been missing since the incident.

Police said that after Keya's death, her mother Nazma Begum filed a murder case on Thursday (14 August) at Mirpur Model Police Station against Sifat and nine others.

Keya's father Rafiqul Islam and other family members have alleged that Sifat strangled Keya and then fled.

Allegations have been made that Sifat had previously physically tortured Keya on multiple occasions.

After the autopsy at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMC) yesterday, the relatives took Keya's body to the police station and began protesting.

Mirpur Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sazzad Roman said, "The relatives were mainly protesting to take Keya's children into their care. We have no authority to decide this.

"Later, our seniors, considering the humanitarian aspect, handed the children over to Keya's parents from Sifat's family members. Afterwards, Keya's relatives left the area with her body."

Rafiqul said, "Keya's four children have been given to us. If the police assure us they are trying to arrest the accused, we will take the body to our ancestral home in Narsingdi."

Shamsuddoha Khan, an uncle of Keya, told reporters, "They [Sifat and his family] have killed our daughter. We are not seeing any visible action from the police to catch the killers."

OC Sazzad said, "Efforts are ongoing to arrest those accused in the case."