Dhaka police have uncovered a chilling human trafficking and black-market operation, arresting four individuals in connection with the possession and sale of human skulls and skeletal remains. The discovery, which involved 47 human skulls and numerous bones, has sent shockwaves through the capital, highlighting a previously hidden criminal network operating across multiple districts.
Arrests and Investigation
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Tejgaon division, conducted the operation on Monday, leading to the apprehension of the following suspects:
| Name | Alias | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Kazi Zahurul Islam | Soumik | 25 |
| Md. Abul Kalam | – | 39 |
| Asadul Munsi | Jasim / Ershad | 32 |
| Md. Faisal Ahmed | – | 26 |
According to police sources, the gang reportedly exhumed corpses from graveyards in Mymensingh, Sherpur, Jamalpur, and Gazipur, transporting the skeletal remains to Dhaka for resale. Two students from Sapporo Dental College in Uttara were allegedly involved in processing the bones with chemicals in their hostel rooms and selling them through private Facebook groups for 15,000–20,000 taka per skull, marking a substantial profit margin over the 5,000–7,000 taka they initially paid.
Sequence of Raids
The Tejgaon police team, acting on a tip-off, first arrested Kazi Zahurul Islam (Soumik) near Gate 1 of Monipuripara around 1:45 a.m. on Sunday, recovering a human skull in his possession. Based on information obtained during interrogation, subsequent raids led to the arrest of Md. Abul Kalam and Asadul Munsi (Jasim/Ershad) in front of Tejgaon College at approximately 7:15 a.m. on Monday, along with two additional human skulls.
Later that day, acting on further leads, authorities raided the hostel of Sapporo Dental College in Uttara West, recovering 44 human skulls from Md. Faisal Ahmed. A formal case has been registered against all four suspects at Tejgaon Police Station.
Police Statement and Background
DMP Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Talebur Rahman provided details at a press briefing, stating that the gang had long been operating by stealing human skeletal remains from graveyards in Dhaka and Gazipur and selling them at inflated prices to intermediaries and buyers across the city.
He added that Md. Abul Kalam has 21 prior cases registered at various police stations nationwide, while Asadul Munsi is facing two pending cases. Legal proceedings against all arrested individuals are ongoing, and police emphasised the severity of the crime given the nature of desecrating human remains for profit.
Overview of the Skull Trafficking Network
| Activity | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of skulls recovered | 47 |
| Other skeletal remains | Numerous bones |
| Primary market | Sapporo Dental College students (Uttara) |
| Price per skull (initial) | 5,000–7,000 taka |
| Price per skull (processed resale) | 15,000–20,000 taka |
| Source districts | Mymensingh, Sherpur, Jamalpur, Gazipur |
| Arrested suspects | 4 |
The case has exposed a sinister underworld in Dhaka, where grave desecration, chemical processing, and online sales intersect in a lucrative yet deeply disturbing criminal enterprise. Authorities have pledged to intensify monitoring of cemeteries and educational institutions to prevent similar operations in the future.
This incident underscores not only a grave breach of law and ethics but also raises urgent questions about oversight, social responsibility, and the protection of human dignity in urban Dhaka.
