Senior Photographer and Parents Charged Over Dhaka Makeup Artist’s Death

A formal legal petition has been submitted to the Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-5 against a professional photographer and his parents, accusing them of involvement in the unlawful detention, continuous sexual assault, and subsequent murder of a 24-year-old makeup artist in the capital’s Adabor district.

On Monday, 27 July, the victim’s elder sister, Razia Sultana, presented the case before Judge Md Moniruzzaman. After recording the plaintiff’s formal statement, the tribunal ordered the Detective Branch (DB) of Police to launch a comprehensive investigation into the allegations and present an official findings report by 10 September.

Key Accused Parties Named in the Petition

The court filing names three individuals belonging to the same household:

• Namin Ashraf Moni (37): Primary accused; a commercial photographer running a studio facility in Adabor.

• Ashrafuddin: Father of the main accused.

• Shahnaz Begum: Mother of the main accused.

Background and Sequence of Reported Events

According to tribunal documents, the victim, Sadia Yasfia (24), was employed as a professional makeup artist across various media projects. She initially connected with Namin Ashraf during an entertainment industry shoot in 2024. Frequent joint assignments eventually led to a romantic relationship. Both families were reportedly aware of the connection and subsequent talks regarding a potential marriage.

Tensions escalated significantly in early June. On 6 June, members of Sadia’s family—including her elder siblings—visited the residence of the accused in Dhalkanagar Lane, Gendaria, to formally propose a marital match. However, Namin’s parents rejected the proposal outright and warned the family against attempting any further matrimonial alliance.

The petition details that on the night of 10 June, Namin called Sadia to his private photography studio on the second floor of a building on Road 12, Shekhertek, Adabor. Once there, Sadia was reportedly coerced into telling her family that she was staying at a female friend’s home.

Between 10 June and 14 June, Namin allegedly held Sadia captive inside the studio, subjecting her to repeated sexual abuse before taking her life on 14 June. To evade law enforcement scrutiny, the accused allegedly attempted to frame the death as a self-inflicted suicide.

However, the plaintiff stated that the official police inquest report recorded distinct marks of physical injury and evidence consistent with sexual violence across the victim’s body. Based on these initial findings, the court formally accepted the petition and instructed law enforcement to proceed with a full-scale investigation.