Marital Dispute Exposes Buried Murder in Khulna

A suspected murder that had remained hidden for months came to light after a domestic dispute between a husband and wife prompted the woman to report the crime to police. Acting on the information she provided, officers recovered a buried body from the courtyard of the couple’s home in the Harintana area of Khulna city on Monday afternoon.

Police believe the killing took place around the middle of the Ramadan period, but the incident remained undiscovered because the body had been secretly buried within the property. The victim’s identity has not yet been confirmed. His remains have been sent to the Khulna Medical College Hospital morgue for a post-mortem examination, while the 30-year-old homeowner and his 22-year-old wife have been detained for questioning.

According to several police officials familiar with the preliminary investigation, the victim had arrived at the house with an electric three-wheeler, commonly known as an easy bike. Investigators suspect that the couple later killed him before dismantling the vehicle and selling its parts separately in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence and profit from the crime.

Harintana Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Helal Uddin said officers recovered the registration number plate of the easy bike from the property. Investigators traced the registration through Khulna City Corporation records and found that the vehicle had originally been registered to a man named Mostafa, who had sold it about four years ago. Police are examining whether the victim may have been someone named Maruf or another individual connected to the vehicle. Initial findings also indicate that the deceased had lost one of his legs, a detail investigators hope will help establish his identity.

Residents of the sparsely populated neighbourhood said they had little contact with the couple. One local resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the area as isolated and said neighbours frequently heard arguments between the husband and wife but had no indication that such a serious crime had taken place.

The preliminary investigation suggests that the woman had previously been involved in sex work before meeting the homeowner several months ago. The two later married, and police allege that she continued that work with her husband’s knowledge and assistance. Investigators believe the victim was invited to the house through this connection.

Police further allege that an attempt was made to render the victim unconscious by mixing an unknown substance with his food. When that failed, investigators believe the husband and wife strangled him before burying the body in the front courtyard. Because the property is located in a relatively secluded area, the burial went unnoticed for several months.

Assistant Commissioner Md Humayun Kabir of the Sonadanga Zone of Khulna Metropolitan Police said the case surfaced only after the couple became involved in a serious domestic dispute. During that dispute, the wife went to the police and disclosed the alleged murder, enabling officers to recover the body.

Investigators suspect the deceased was an easy bike driver, although his identity has yet to be established. Police also said no missing person report matching the victim had previously been filed with the local station. Due to the length of time the body remained buried, much of the remains had decomposed, making identification more difficult.

Alongside Khulna Metropolitan Police, officers from the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) are assisting with the forensic examination and broader investigation. Authorities expect the post-mortem findings, forensic evidence and continued questioning of the detained couple to provide a clearer picture of the motive and circumstances surrounding the killing.