Sheikh Wasim, a 47-year-old businessman known locally as Rony, was found dead beneath a freshly dug layer of soil in Old Dhaka, three days after his family reported him missing. Law enforcement personnel recovered his semi-decomposed remains early Friday morning from beside a building on BC Das Street in the capital’s Lalbagh area. His hands and feet were bound with plastic rope, and his face was wrapped in polythene.
Police have arrested the victim’s close friend, Mohammad Masum Chowdhury, in connection with the homicide. According to investigators, the suspect confessed to murdering his friend following a bitter financial dispute involving a sum of three hundred thousand taka. The victim’s body has since been transferred to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for a post-mortem examination.
The tragedy came to light after the victim’s family grew deeply concerned over his sudden disappearance. Relatives stated that Rony had gone to meet the suspect on Tuesday to collect money he was owed. The financial entanglement reportedly dated back roughly eight months, during which Masum had borrowed three hundred thousand taka with an agreement to pay monthly returns. However, tensions escalated significantly when those regular payments ceased, and Rony began pressing for the full settlement of his dues.
When Rony failed to return home and his mobile phone remained unreachable, his family initiated a frantic search, checking in with various acquaintances before approaching the suspect’s residence. Although the suspect’s wife claimed ignorance of his whereabouts at the time, growing suspicion prompted the family to lodge a formal general diary at the local police station.
Acting on the missing person report, detective branches and crime scene units launched a targeted investigation. Suspicion quickly fell upon Masum, leading to his detention and intensive interrogation. Under questioning, the suspect cracked and revealed that a heated altercation had broken out inside his imitation jewellery wholesale factory located on the ground floor of the Lalbagh building. During the argument, a physical scuffle ensued, resulting in the victim being struck fatally.
In an attempt to conceal the crime, the perpetrator buried the body within the premises, covering the grave with eight sacks of soil and sand. Police teams executed a midnight raid based on these disclosures, unearthing the grave following hours of careful excavation.
Local law enforcement officials confirmed that formal legal proceedings, including a murder case, are currently underway. Investigators are examining whether any other individuals assisted in the cover-up or execution of the crime, as the community reels from the brutal outcome of a simple financial disagreement between trusted acquaintances.
