2 bodies found in abandoned Savar building

Police yesterday recovered charred bodies of two unidentified individuals from an abandoned community centre in Savar upazila of Dhaka district.

With this, a total of five bodies have been recovered from this exact spot over the last six months.

Around 2:00pm yesterday, the two bodies were discovered on the second floor of the abandoned Savar Municipal Community Centre after a call to the 999 hotline, said Arman Ali, officer-in-charge of Savar Model Police Station.

Police believe the two were murdered, possibly in the early hours of yesterday.

One Samrat Hossain, 35, was detained in this connection, said Saidul Islam, OC of Dhaka North Detective Branch (DB) Police. 

“Initially, it appears that he may be involved with the killings. We are interrogating him, and further details will be shared later.”

However, locals claim the detained man is mentally ill and has long been seen in the area.

Meanwhile, OC Arman Ali claimed the detainee was not mentally ill and could just be faking it.

Later in the day, the Criminal Investigation Department visited the site.

Speaking to reporters at the scene last night, Md Kamrul Islam, sub-inspector of the CID’s Crime Scene Unit, said, “From our preliminary findings, we believe one of the bodies may be that of a teenage girl.”

He then said the gender of the other body could not be determined, as it was completely burnt. “There is a good chance that it belongs to a woman in her early 20s. Nothing more can be confirmed at this stage.”

Laboratory tests will provide final confirmation as to whether the victim was male or female, he added.

The bodies have been sent to the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College morgue for autopsy.

Md Asaduzzaman, additional superintendent of police (Savar Circle), told The Daily Star that three more bodies had previously been recovered from the same community centre between August and December last year.

Following the recovery of the third body in December last year, CCTV cameras were installed there.

“Authorities have also been urged to renovate and reopen the building, as its abandonment has led to increased opportunities for misuse,” he added.

Earlier on August 29 last year, an unidentified youth was found dead inside the abandoned building with his hands and feet tied. 

Police have yet to confirm the youth’s identity.

The bodies of a woman and a man were recovered from the same building on October 11 and December 19 last year, respectively.

The identities of these victims remain unconfirmed, and no arrests have been made in connection with these cases.

The recovery of five bodies from the same location has caused panic among local residents.

“We are passing days amid insecurity. We want a proper investigation into it and the trial of the killers immediately,” said Md Shaheen Bhuiyan, a resident of the Savar municipality.

Constructed between 2001 and 2006, the community centre was operational for only a short period before a legal dispute over ownership left it abandoned for more than 15 years.