Body of Retired BGB Member Found on Indian Side of Ramgarh Border, Family Objects to Autopsy

The body of a retired BGB member, Angthaipro Marma, 65, has been found lying on the Indian side of the border at Ramgarh in Khagrachhari. Police said there are injury marks on his head, but the actual cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

The body was found at around 8:20 am on Saturday (November 14) in the Fenirkul border area of the upazila. Angthaipro Marma was the son of the late Mang Mang Marma of Fenirkul village under Ramgarh Municipality.

According to eyewitnesses, Angthaipro Marma went to the bank of the Feni River in the Fenirkul area along the Ramgarh-Sabroom border at around 2 pm on Friday (November 13) to cut grass.

When he did not return home at night, relatives began searching for him on Saturday morning. At one point, relatives and local people saw his body lying in the Dholbari area of Sabroom, on the Indian side of the border. They later brought the body to the Bangladesh side.

On receiving the news, members of Ramgarh Police Station and the BGB went to the scene.

Ramgarh Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Nazir Alam said injury marks were seen on the head of the body. How the injury occurred and what the actual cause of death was are not yet known, he said. The body will be sent to Khagrachhari Sadar for autopsy, and the next steps will be taken after the report is received.

Shamsul Haq, assistant director of Ramgarh 43 BGB, said details of the incident can be given only after investigation.

The body was brought to Ramgarh Police Station at 10:40 am on Saturday for autopsy. At that time, local people and local political leaders went to the station and requested that no autopsy be performed. The deceased's relatives have also objected to an autopsy, creating indecision between the administration and the family.

The deceased's son, Thaianggya Marma, said his father's autopsy is not necessary. The family has no complaint against anyone over the incident, and it appears to them to be a natural death. They do not want their father's body cut open, he said, demanding that the body be handed over to the family so the funeral can be completed according to family and social customs.

As of the writing of this report (12:50 pm), the administration and the deceased's relatives had not been able to reach a decision on the autopsy. The body remains at Ramgarh Police Station.