Two separate cases have been filed following the deaths of four members of a family in Bamunshikhar village of Paba upazila in Rajshahi.
An unnatural death case was lodged by Rustom Ali, father of the deceased Minarul Islam, while a murder case was filed by Minarul’s mother-in-law, Shiuli Begum, at Motihar police station on Friday night. Officer-In-Charge of the station, Abdul Malek, confirmed that no one has been formally accused yet and that further action will follow investigation.
The bodies of the deceased—Minarul Islam, 30, his wife Monira Begum, 28, their son Mahin, 13, and daughter Mithila, 19 months—were recovered Friday afternoon and taken to Rajshahi Medical College morgue. The bodies will be handed over to the family after autopsy on Saturday.
Minarul, a farmer by profession, and his family were found with a two-page note suggesting financial distress as the cause of the tragedy. The note stated, “We died due to debt and lack of food.” Minarul was discovered hanging from a ceiling fan, while his wife and daughter were found in one room and Mahin in another. Police suspect that Minarul may have killed his family before taking his own life.
Sources said Minarul had sold five kathas of land three years ago to repay a Tk 5 lakh loan after losing large sums in gambling. He later took multiple loans requiring weekly repayments of Tk 2,740, totalling Tk 10,960 per month, which he could not manage from farming alone. Limited support from relatives reportedly added to his frustration.
Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abu Sufian said the note left by Minarul indicated that financial pressure and grievances against family members played a role in the deaths. It also contained instructions that no one should touch the bodies.
Neighbours described the family as ordinary but quietly struggling. “They kept to themselves. You wouldn’t have guessed the worry they carried,” said one resident. The village, home to around 1,500 people, remains in mourning. Community leaders have urged better support for families facing financial hardship and mental health challenges to prevent similar tragedies.