A deeply troubling incident in southern Bangladesh has sparked widespread outrage after a carpenter allegedly sold his 18-month-old son to fund the purchase of a high-end iPhone. The exchange unfolded in Machhuakhali village, situated within the Betagi-Sankipur Union of Dashmina upazila in Patuakhali district. The local community has been left reeling as police officers work to safely recover the child and arrest the absconding father.
The suspect, Maruf Munshi—a carpenter by trade and the son of Mofiz Munshi—executed the transaction on Saturday morning, 29 August. Family members reported that Maruf approached his mother, Mahfuza Begum, requesting that she dress his young son, Musa, so he could take the child on a short trip to the nearby bazaar. Suspicion mounted when night fell with no sign of either the father or the boy. Relatives initiated a frantic search throughout the area, eventually uncovering that the child had been transferred to a buyer in a neighbouring village for a sum of one lakh taka (approximately £650).
Underlying household tensions appear to have set the stage for the crime. Family background reveals that Maruf married his wife, Vristi, a native of Savar in Dhaka, roughly four years ago. Their son Musa was born three years into the marriage. However, domestic disputes intensified about a month prior to the event, culminating in a bitter argument that led Vristi to leave the marital residence and return to her parents. Following her departure, Maruf spent time in Dhaka before returning to his village on Friday evening, 28 August, just hours before selling his child.
The child’s grandmother described the ordeal with visible anguish. She recalled Maruf nonchalantly asking her to prepare the toddler for a walk, assuring her they would be back shortly. When night arrived without any trace of them, the family managed to reach Maruf by mobile phone. During the call, Maruf reportedly admitted to transferring ownership of Musa to Imran Hossain, a resident of Ramanathsen village in neighbouring Alipur Union, under a formal written agreement. Relatives stated that Maruf immediately boarded a bus to Dhaka with the cash, traded in his previous mobile phone for a brand-new iPhone, and promptly vanished.
When contacted by telephone, the buyer, Imran Hossain, confirmed that he had purchased the toddler. Imran claimed Maruf had been persistently offering to hand over the child for quite some time. Explaining his motive, Imran noted that his father-in-law had five daughters but no male heir to carry on the family name. After discussing the proposal with his extended family, Imran agreed to pay the requested one lakh taka, executing a written contract before transferring the boy to his father-in-law’s household on Saturday afternoon.
The case gained rapid public attention after details leaked onto social media platforms, triggering immediate police action. Atikul Islam, the Officer-in-Charge of Dashmina Police Station, confirmed that officers rushed to the site as soon as the online reports were verified. Police have taken Imran Hossain into custody for interrogation and are carrying out targeted field operations to recover the missing toddler. Senior investigators emphasised that comprehensive criminal charges will be filed against everyone involved once the child is secured.
