The remains of former union parishad chairman Selim Khan and his son, actor Shanto Khan, who died after being beaten by an agitated crowd in Chandpur on 5 August 2024, have been exhumed nearly two years after their burial.
The bodies were taken from the family cemetery in Lakshmipur Model Union of Chandpur Sadar upazila on Wednesday morning following a court order. Inspector Chand Mia, officer-in-charge of the Purand Bazar police outpost in Chandpur, confirmed the development.
He said the remains were transported to the mortuary of Chandpur Sadar Hospital after the exhumation. A post-mortem examination will be carried out after the necessary legal procedures have been completed.
Executive Magistrate Protyay Hashem, who was present during the operation, said the bodies had been exhumed specifically to facilitate post-mortem examinations in accordance with the court’s directive.
What happened on 5 August 2024
According to Inspector Chand Mia, who is investigating the case concerning the deaths, Selim Khan and Shanto Khan were attempting to leave the area on the afternoon of 5 August 2024, the day the Sheikh Hasina government fell.
They were travelling by car when they encountered an agitated crowd near Forkkabad Bazar in Balia Union of Chandpur Sadar upazila. Police said Selim Khan fired shots from his pistol and managed to get away from the crowd at that location.
Their vehicle was later stopped at nearby Bagra Bazar. The two men were then attacked and beaten by the crowd, resulting in their deaths. Local residents subsequently took their bodies to Chandpur Sadar Hospital.
At the time, amid the tense situation surrounding the events of that day, the bodies were handed over to the family without post-mortem examinations. They were later buried at the family cemetery in Lakshmipur Model Union.
Case filed more than a year later
Inspector Chand Mia said no case was filed at the police station immediately after the deaths, according to available information. A case was subsequently filed at Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station on 30 September 2025 by police Sub-Inspector Abdul Quddus Sarker.
The case lists 150 unidentified people as accused. The exhumation and proposed post-mortem examinations are part of the investigation and wider legal process.
Following the court’s order, police sought the appointment of an executive magistrate from the district administration to oversee the exhumation. Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Foyez Ahmed had earlier said that the application was made to the district administration and that the exhumation proceeded after approval was granted.
Selim Khan’s political and business background
Selim Khan served as chairman of Lakshmipur Model Union Parishad and was president of the union unit of the Awami League. He was also associated with Shapla Media, a film production and distribution company.
Various allegations concerning Selim Khan had been reported by the media over the years. These included allegations of illegally extracting sand from the Padma and Meghna rivers in Chandpur and accumulating substantial wealth, as well as alleged irregularities relating to land acquisition for Chandpur Science and Technology University.
Reports had also referred at different times to cases involving the Anti-Corruption Commission and alleged tax evasion. However, no information regarding a final court verdict or disposal of those allegations was available in the material concerning the case.
Shanto Khan, meanwhile, worked as a film actor. He appeared in several films, including Tungiparar Mia Bhai, a biographical film based on the life of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Investigators await forensic findings
The exhumation has now shifted investigators’ attention towards the post-mortem findings. Police say the examination could help establish the nature of the injuries sustained by the two men and whether those injuries were responsible for their deaths.
The examination may also reveal other forensic evidence relevant to the circumstances surrounding their deaths, which could assist investigators in assessing the events that took place on 5 August 2024.
Foyez Ahmed said the investigation would move forward after the post-mortem report and other evidence had been analysed.
Police have cautioned that the exact cause of death and the manner in which particular individuals may have been involved cannot be established with certainty before the forensic findings and other evidence are assessed. The post-mortem report is therefore expected to form an important part of the continuing investigation.
