Sramik Dal leader's body dug up from floor of ex-in-laws' home in Chatkhil, six days after he went missing

Police have recovered the body of a Sramik Dal leader, Mohammad Russell (27), dug up from the floor of an abandoned room at his former in-laws' home in Chatkhil upazila of Noakhali, six days after he went missing.

The body was recovered at around 12:30pm on Thursday (12 November) from the Chowkidar house at Sankhali village in Noakhala union of the upazila. Police had raided the house at around 2am on Wednesday and located the body buried under earth.

Russell was the son of Sirajul Islam of the Jamaddar house at Singbahura village in the same union. He was a former member of Chatkhil upazila Sramik Dal and a candidate for general secretary of Noakhala union Sramik Dal.

Locals said Russell and his wife Mukta Begum had been in conflict for a long time, and the couple eventually separated. They have a son and a daughter, who lived with their father.

At around 10:30pm on 6 November, Mukta Begum and her sister Ratna called Russell to their home on the pretext of resuming their life together. Russell had been missing since then, and relatives found no trace of him despite searching in various places.

Russell's father Sirajul Islam filed a general diary (GD) at Chatkhil police station on 7 November. Mukta Begum and her family members fled the home after Russell went missing.

Former acting president of Chatkhil upazila BNP Shahjahan Rana said he went to the police station with Sramik Dal leaders on Monday night and then accompanied police to Russell's former in-laws' home. At around 2am a strong stench coming from an abandoned, broken room in the house raised their suspicion, and a search of the room found Russell's body buried under earth.

Shahjahan Rana added that the body had been covered with old quilts, bedding and earth, and bore iron-rod injury marks on the head and various parts of the body. Police recovered an iron rod from the scene.

Russell's father Sirajul Islam said in a tearful voice that his son had been murdered, and demanded a proper investigation and exemplary punishment for those responsible.

Chatkhil police station officer-in-charge Abdul Monnaf said the body was recovered on Thursday afternoon and sent to the Noakhali General Hospital morgue for autopsy. Further legal steps will be taken once a written complaint is received.