October 24, 2025
DHAKA – A 19-year-old morgue assistant was sent to jail on Wednesday for allegedly committing a sexual act with a woman’s corpse at the Mymensingh Medical College (MMC) morgue.
The accused, Abu Sayed, had been carrying cadavers from Haluaghat Police Station to morgues for autopsies for about three years, said Md Abdullah Al Mamun, additional superintendent of police (crime) in Mymensingh.
According to police, on October 20, Sayed transported the body of a woman, who had reportedly died by suicide the previous day, from Haluaghat Police Station to the MMC morgue. He was accompanied by three sub-inspectors and two constables during the transfer.
After placing the body in the morgue around 11:30am, Sayed allegedly returned alone two hours later, when no one else was present, and performed a sexual act with the corpse.
The incident came to light when Dr ANM Al Mamun, assistant professor of Forensic Medicine at Mymensingh Medical College, entered the morgue to conduct the autopsy and noticed the body had been moved and showed signs of sexual activity. He immediately informed police.
“After being notified, we detained Sayed that evening from Haluaghat,” said ASP Mamun.
Dr Mamun told The Daily Star that forensic samples have been sent to Dhaka for DNA testing to confirm Sayed’s involvement. “If multiple DNA profiles are detected, we will test all morgue assistants and body carriers,” he added.
Md Hafizul Islam Harun, officer-in-charge of Haluaghat Police Station, said Sayed confessed during preliminary interrogation.
An earlier unnatural death case had already been filed at Haluaghat Police Station over the woman’s suicide, with SI Jamal Miah as the investigation officer. Following Sayed’s confession, a new case was lodged at Kotwali Police Station on Wednesday, accusing him of committing sexual acts with a cadaver, disgraceful contact, and unnatural lust, ASP Mamun said.
Sayed was produced before the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Md Shariful Haque in the afternoon. After his statement was recorded under Section 164, the magistrate ordered him sent to jail, confirmed PSM Mustasinur Rahman, court inspector in Mymensingh.
Dr Md Zakiul Islam, deputy director of MMC, said the morgue falls under the authority of Mymensingh Medical College.
When asked about the morgue’s security, Prof Dr Nazmul Alam Khan, Principal of Mymensingh Medical College, declined to comment over the phone, asking that queries be made in person.
Advocate Shibbir Ahmed Liton, senior lawyer at the Mymensingh Bar and president of the district unit of Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan), expressed shock over the incident.
“Morgues around the world maintain strict security protocols,” he said. “Dead bodies deserve dignity and protection, too. Authorities must investigate whether negligence in security enabled this horrific act.”
Calling the event “shocking and unprecedented in Mymensingh,” he added, “It’s heartbreaking to see how far social values and humanity have fallen.”