Mother's death: Joint secretary son removed from post
After media reports highlighted allegations of neglect by the children of a 75-year-old woman whose body was recovered from a flat in Mirpur, Dhaka, her son AKM Anisur Rahman, a member of the Mongla Port Authority with the rank of Joint Secretary, has been withdrawn from that position and attached to the Ministry of Public Administration.
A notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration today, Wednesday, announced that the Joint Secretary had been attached to the ministry. He was also instructed to be released from his current workplace and join his new posting on the same day. Otherwise, he would be considered immediately released (stand released) effective today.
The woman, Nur Jahan Begum, had another son who teaches at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and a daughter who teaches at a local school. Following media coverage of the incident, the Ministry of Public Administration initiated legal proceedings against the son who serves as a Joint Secretary.
Speaking to Prothom Alo earlier today, State Minister for Public Administration Md Abdul Bari said that Bangladesh has a law regarding the maintenance of parents and that action would be taken in accordance with it. He said the necessary procedures, including obtaining the official''s statement, would be followed. The process had already begun and inquiries were underway.
Earlier today, Prothom Alo published a report titled “Elderly mother found dead in squalid flat despite having 3 highly educated children.” Video footage of the apartment where Nur Jahan Begum lived with her daughter has since circulated on social media. The footage shows that the entire flat, including her room, was in an extremely dirty and unhygienic condition. Images of the body also showed a disturbing scene, with what appeared to be white fungal growth around Nur Jahan Begum’s right eye. Officials from Pallabi Police Station said they had also observed insects on the body when it was recovered.
On Tuesday afternoon, journalists from Prothom Alo and other media outlets visited the fourth floor of the building on Road No. 13, Block C, Section 6 in Mirpur. Despite ringing the doorbell and waiting for a long time, no one answered the door. Residents of the building and neighboring locals said the manner in which an elderly woman died inside her home was unacceptable under any circumstances. Local residents expressed outrage, describing the death as inhumane.
The recovery of Nur Jahan Begum’s body has renewed public discussion of the Parents Maintenance Act, 2013. Rules under the law were also adopted in 2023. The law requires every child to ensure the maintenance and care of their parents. Where parents have multiple children, the children are expected to discuss and jointly arrange their parents'' support. They are also required to regularly check on their parents'' health and provide necessary medical treatment and care. Violations of the law are punishable by a fine of up to Tk 100,000, or, in default of payment, imprisonment for up to three months.