“I've never dug so many graves for one household before”

The family graveyard is just two-minute walking distance from the house. Three graves have been dug side by side.

The first two on the western side are slightly larger—the first for father Minarul, the second for his son Mahin.

The smallest grave is on the far eastern side, for two-year-old little Mithila.

The graves were dug the day after the four bodies of a family were recovered in Bamonshikhar village of Paba upazila in Rajshahi.

Although four graves were supposed to be dug, only three were prepared. In the end, however, it was decided that only two bodies would be buried there.

Confirming that a decision had been reached, Saeed Ali, chairman of Parila Union Parishad, said: “The son’s family initially wanted to take all four bodies. Later, they decided to take three. That’s why three graves were dug. But due to complications over the burials, finally only the father and son will be taken to the village. The mother and little daughter will be handed over to the in-laws.”

Motihar police station officer-in-charge (OC) Abdul Malek said, “The two families have decided that each will bury two bodies. The bodies will be handed over accordingly.”

Earlier, on Friday morning, police recovered the four bodies of a family from their home in Bamonshikhar village of Parila Union in Paba.

The deceased were Minarul Islam (35), his wife Monira Begum (28), their son Mahin (13), and daughter Mithila (2).

Mahin was a student of Class 8 at Khorkhori High School, and Minarul was a farmer.

A two-page note was also recovered from the scene that reads, “We are dying because of debt and lack of food.”

Family members, police, and locals believe that Minarul killed his wife and two children before committing “suicide” himself due to poverty and debt.

On Saturday morning in Bamonshikhar village, people were seen cutting bamboo and digging graves at the graveyard near the house. The work was being supervised by Minarul’s uncle, cousin, and neighbours.

With “a heavy heart,” Minarul’s neighbour Md Rabiul Islam was digging the graves.

He said, “I’ve never dug so many graves for one household before. It’s such a painful thing. We were supposed to dig four. But the girl’s mother said, ‘You won’t get my daughter’s body.’ That’s why the decision was made to dig only three graves.”

Minarul’s uncle Abu Taleb said, “Because they refused to give the daughter’s body, only three graves were dug. We wanted all four to be buried together, since they died together. But they didn't agree.”

Following the incident, two separate cases were filed at Motihar police station last night—one for unnatural death and another for murder. The unnatural death case was filed by Minarul’s father, Rustam Ali, while the murder case was filed by Minarul’s mother-in-law, Shiuli Begum.

OC Abdul Malek told Prothom Alo, “Two separate cases have been filed—one for unnatural death and the other for murder. Initially, the mother-in-law didn’t want to file a case, but later, out of suspicion, she did. We are investigating. The bodies will be handed over at noon. Once we receive the autopsy reports, we will have a clearer picture of how they died.”