A Union Parishad member accused in a sensational murder case in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf has died while under police custody, raising numerous questions and turning public attention back to the already controversial investigation. Rezaul Karim, aged 36, passed away at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital at approximately 7:30am on Sunday, according to Teknaf Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Abu Zayed Md Najmun Nur.
Rezaul Karim, the son of late Abul Kashem of Dargapara in Hnila Union, was the elected representative for Ward No. 5 of the same Union. He had been named as one of the principal accused in the murder of former UP member Md Yunus — an incident that has become one of Teknaf’s most unsettling criminal cases in recent months.
OC Nur said that Rezaul was arrested on 4 December by RAB from Union Hospital in Cox’s Bazar town, where he had been admitted with serious health issues, including respiratory difficulty. After being handed over to the police, he remained under treatment at the hospital since his condition made it unsafe for him to be kept in a regular holding cell.
Doctors later recommended moving him to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital for improved medical supervision. Police followed protocol and ensured his treatment continued while he remained officially in custody. Despite medical intervention, Rezaul’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and he died shortly after being admitted.
Police sources later revealed that Rezaul had 13 cases registered against him, including several for murder and other violent crimes. His body is currently being preserved at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital while legal procedures continue. An autopsy is expected to clarify whether his death was caused solely by illness or if other factors were involved.
Rezaul’s family has not made any comment regarding his death, his treatment under police custody, or the circumstances leading up to the hospital transfer. Their silence has added to the sense of uncertainty surrounding the case, although no allegations or complaints have been directed at the authorities so far.
The murder case involving Rezaul stems from the abduction and killing of former UP member Md Yunus. According to police reports, on 4 November Yunus was forcibly taken to the home of Md Alam in Hnila’s Flower Dale area. The kidnappers allegedly demanded Tk 60–70 lakh from his family as ransom.
Tragically, the ransom negotiation never materialised. On the morning of 5 November, Yunus’s body was discovered floating underneath a roadside canal in Rangikhali, Hnila. The murder caused widespread outrage and prompted Yunus’s wife to file a detailed case on 6 November with Teknaf Model Police Station. Eight individuals were named as primary suspects, and an additional seven to eight were listed as unidentified accomplices. Rezaul Karim’s name appeared among the named accused.
The sudden death of Rezaul Karim in custody inevitably adds complexity to the unfolding investigation. Police have stated that further legal actions will follow standard procedure and that his death will not hinder the progress of the murder case. Authorities are now preparing detailed reports, and more developments are expected shortly.