Transgender Individual Succumbs To Severe Petrol Burn Injuries

A 35-year-old transgender individual, identified as Enamul Haque Shishir, widely known within the local community as Mahi, has passed away at the burn unit of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital. The death occurred on Sunday, 17 May 2026, following a four-day hospitalization period for severe burn injuries sustained during a violent assault. The victim was allegedly doused in petrol and set on fire in the Burichang Upazila of Comilla district, reportedly due to an ongoing internal conflict over the distribution of illicit drug trade profits.

The deceased was the child of Kamrul Haque Farhad, a resident of Purnamati village under the Burichang Upazila. Following the initial attack, law enforcement authorities initiated a formal criminal investigation, which has so far culminated in the arrest of an accused individual named Dola, who also belongs to the transgender community.

Chronology of the Assault and Medical Care

According to verified accounts provided by local residents and police investigators, the physical attack took place on the morning of Wednesday, 13 May 2026. The incident occurred near a local auto-rickshaw (CNG) stand positioned directly in front of the Muktijoddha Complex within the Burichang municipality.

During the confrontation, an individual identified as Jahirul Islam Apon, alias Jahir—who is also a member of the same transgender community—allegedly poured petrol onto Mahi’s body and ignited it. Bystanders and local residents rushed to the scene to extinguish the flames, rescued the critically injured victim, and immediately transported Mahi to the Comilla Medical College Hospital for emergency stabilization.

As Mahi’s physiological condition continued to deteriorate rapidly due to the extensive nature of the thermal burns, attending physicians recommended an immediate tertiary care transfer. The victim was subsequently moved to the specialised burn unit of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where Mahi underwent intensive medical treatment for four days before succumbing to the injuries on Sunday.

Summary of Legal Proceedings and Arrests

The table below outlines the institutional parameters of the criminal case and the operational actions taken by law enforcement agencies:

Conflict Origins and Institutional Statements

Local residents disclosed that several transgender individuals had constructed temporary dwellings and resided on government-owned land situated in the vicinity of the Muktijoddha Complex. Community sources stated that some of these residents had become progressively entangled in local illicit narcotics trafficking. Records indicate that the deceased, Mahi, had previously been arrested by law enforcement officials on drug-related charges and had served a prison sentence.

Community members asserted that a severe disagreement had recently erupted among the residents regarding the division of monetary proceeds generated from their narcotics operations. Local sources believe that this specific financial dispute directly instigated the fatal petrol attack.

The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Burichang Police Station, Mohammad Lutfur Rahman, confirmed the administrative status of the case. Officer-in-Charge Rahman stated that the father of the deceased has formally filed a murder case naming three specific individuals and listing an additional seven unidentified suspects.

He clarified that whilst a police operation successfully resulted in the tracking and arrest of one named defendant, Dola, the primary suspect, Jahir, remains at large. The Officer-in-Charge emphasised that dedicated police teams are actively conducting raids to apprehend Jahir and that comprehensive investigations are underway to definitively establish whether narcotics or an alternative dispute served as the primary motive for the homicide.