A long-serving mosque imam has been found hanging inside a mosque in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram, prompting shock and grief across the local community.
The incident took place on Tuesday around 10:30 pm at the Raja Mia Sowdagor Jame Mosque in the Sonai Chhari Union’s Banglabazar area. Police recovered the body of 43-year-old Md Amir Hossain from inside the mosque premises after being alerted by local worshippers. The discovery has left residents deeply disturbed and struggling for answers.
According to local accounts, Amir Hossain had been serving as the imam of the mosque for approximately 13 years. Known among worshippers for his calm demeanour and dedication to religious duties, he lived alone in a room on the mosque’s upper floor. He originally hailed from Banshkhali upazila of Chattogram.
On the day of the incident, he led the Asr prayers as usual. However, when worshippers arrived for Maghrib prayers later in the evening, they found the mosque locked and no sign of the imam. Initially, it was assumed that he had stepped out temporarily. Concern grew when the mosque remained closed even at the time of Isha prayers. Worshippers then reportedly peered through an upstairs window and saw his body hanging from a ceiling fan hook.
Police from Sitakunda Police Station arrived at the scene shortly afterwards and recovered the body. Officers conducted an initial inquest at the site before sending the remains to Chattogram Medical College Hospital morgue for a post-mortem examination.
A mosque management committee representative, Mohammad Iftekhar Ahmed, said a handwritten note was recovered near the body, allegedly referring to domestic issues. He also mentioned that a ladder was found near one of the rooms and that a green cloth was seen tied to the fan hook, details now being examined as part of the investigation.
Police have stated that the case is being treated with seriousness and all possible angles are under review. Investigators are verifying the authenticity of the note and examining the imam’s personal and family circumstances as part of the inquiry.
The incident has cast a pall of mourning over the local community, where Amir Hossain had served for over a decade. Many worshippers have expressed disbelief that a respected religious figure could die under such circumstances. Authorities say the exact cause of death will become clearer once the post-mortem report is available.
Comments