Police have recovered the decomposed body of an unidentified woman wrapped in a blanket from a wetland in Charmukundi, Matlab South upazila of Chandpur district. The body was discovered beneath a mass of water hyacinths on Tuesday morning after local residents noticed a strong foul smell while clearing the vegetation to prepare farmland for cultivation.
The woman’s identity could not be established immediately because the body had decomposed significantly. Police suspect that she may have been murdered and her body dumped in a nearby river, although the circumstances surrounding her death have yet to be confirmed.
According to police and local sources, several residents were clearing water hyacinths from the wetland at around 10am on Tuesday when they noticed an unusually strong stench coming from a pile of vegetation. Searching for the source of the smell, they discovered what appeared to be a blanket-wrapped object concealed among the water hyacinths.
Realising that it was a body, the residents immediately informed the police by mobile phone.
Officer-in-Charge of Matlab South Police Station Hafizur Rahman subsequently visited the scene with other officers. The body was recovered from the vegetation and taken to the police station for further examination.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, OC Hafizur Rahman said the body was badly decomposed and appeared to belong to a woman aged between 30 and 35. She was wearing a salwar kameez when she was found.
The officer said the woman might have been killed at least three or four days earlier, or possibly even before that. However, the exact time and cause of death have not yet been determined.
Police suspect that the perpetrators may have dumped the body in the Dhanagoda River after killing the woman. It may subsequently have drifted through a canal and become trapped in the thick growth of water hyacinths in the Charmukundi wetland.
Investigators have not yet established whether the woman was killed elsewhere or how her body reached the location where it was discovered. The condition of the remains also made it difficult to determine immediately whether there were any visible signs of injury.
Police are working to establish the woman’s identity and determine the circumstances surrounding her death. Identifying the victim is expected to be an important step in tracing her movements before her death and establishing whether anyone was involved in the incident.
According to OC Hafizur Rahman, police are initially proceeding with an unnatural death case. A murder case may be filed later if the investigation establishes evidence of homicide.
Police are preparing the inquest report before sending the body to the morgue at Chandpur General Hospital for a post-mortem examination. The examination is expected to help investigators determine the cause of death and identify any evidence that could clarify the circumstances.
The discovery has caused concern among local residents, while news of the recovery drew curious onlookers to the scene. As of Tuesday, the victim’s identity and the details surrounding her death remained unknown.
Police said the investigation was continuing, with further legal action to be determined by the findings of the post-mortem examination and other evidence gathered during the inquiry.
