Another solitary death raises concern

The discovery of another decomposed body in a Pallabi apartment has raised fresh concerns about people living alone in the capital, days after a similar incident in the same area drew widespread attention.

Police recovered the body of Selina Afroza, 55, from her apartment on Road No. 10 in Mirpur Section-6 under Pallabi Police Station at around 1:30am on Wednesday.

According to police, Selina Afroza, daughter of Khalilur Rahman and Afia Rahman, had been living alone in the flat inherited from her father. Her husband, Mobinul Haque, and their two children currently live in Canada.

Investigators said the woman’s nephew, Ashfaqul Rahman, last spoke with her by telephone on the night of May 26. Police believe she may have died sometime after that, resulting in the body’s decomposition before it was discovered.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Pallabi Police Station Hasan Basir said police went to the apartment on Tuesday night after receiving information about a foul smell emanating from the flat.

When officers arrived, they found the apartment locked from the inside.

“We informed the Fire Service, which broke open the main door. We then found the woman’s body lying on the floor,” the OC said.

The body was sent for an autopsy and later handed over to family members, he added.
Police, citing local residents, said Selina had returned to Bangladesh from Canada around 12 years ago following a family dispute and had since been residing alone in the Pallabi apartment.

According to neighbours quoted by police, her husband and children did not maintain regular contact with her.

The incident comes only days after the recovery of the decomposed body of Nurjahan Begum, 75, from a flat in the same area on May 31. Her body had reportedly remained unattended for about a week before being discovered.

Police said preliminary findings suggest Selina Afroza’s death was natural. However, an investigation into the incident is continuing, according to OC Hasan Basir.