Police recovered the body of a three-year-old girl from a neighbour’s house in Fatikchhari, Chattogram, on Saturday night, around 14 hours after she went missing.
Three people from the neighbouring family have been arrested in a murder case filed by the child’s father.
The arrestees are Abdul Awal, his wife Asma Begum and their son Robiul, police said.
They are being sent to court on Sunday, and police will seek remand for questioning.
According to police, the body of Halima Akter was recovered around 9pm on Saturday from beneath an Alna (Wooden cloth stand) inside Abdul Awal’s house in Nichinta area of Dantmara Union under Fatikchhari upazila.
Halima went missing around 8am on Saturday. Her family members searched several places but failed to find her.
Around 5pm, the family informed the national emergency service by calling 999. Police rushed to the area after receiving the call and began searching for the child. They later found her body beneath the Alna in the neighbour’s house.
Halima was the daughter of Nasir Uddin and Rasheda Akter, who live in the same area.
The child’s mother alleged that her daughter had been deliberately murdered and that her body was hidden beneath the wooden cloth stand. She demanded a proper investigation and justice for those responsible.
Police initially suspect that the child may have been strangled to death. However, her body has been sent to Chattogram Medical College Hospital for an autopsy to establish the exact cause of death.
Bhujpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Bipul Chandra Dey told Dhaka Post that police recovered the body after receiving information through the 999 emergency service.
He said the three people were initially taken into custody for questioning in connection with the incident. They were later shown arrested in the murder case filed by Halima’s father and are being sent to court. Police will seek their remand for further questioning.
The OC added that the accused had not confessed to the killing during preliminary questioning. The investigation and subsequent legal proceedings are ongoing.
