Everyone was searching for missing child, body found in box in aunt’s room

Police recovered the body of a child from her aunt’s room in Bandarban. The incident took place around 3:00 pm on Monday in the Moydar Mill area near Sualok Bazaar in Sualok Union of Bandarban Sadar upazila.

The deceased child was identified as Taifa Sultana, 3, daughter of Ilias Khan of the area. Police arrested her aunt, Nargis Sultana, 49, in connection with the incident. Police confirmed the matter in a press release issued at around 10:00 pm on Monday.

Police said child Taifa had been missing since Monday morning. After searching for her without success, her father Ilias Khan went to the police station to file a general diary (GD). There were CCTV cameras at Ilias Khan’s house.

Police later analysed the CCTV footage and found that Nargis Sultana had taken Taifa to her room. Police then searched Nargis Sultana’s room and found Taifa’s body inside a box. Nargis was subsequently arrested.

In the press release, police said Nargis Sultana admitted during initial questioning to strangling her niece to death. However, she did not say why she had killed her.

A family member of the deceased child, who wished to remain unnamed, said that after separating from her husband, Nargis Sultana had been living in the same house as her brother Ilias Khan.

They were all shocked that she had killed her own niece. They believed the incident may have been triggered by a personal dispute with Ilias Khan’s wife. However, Nargis has not disclosed anything about the killing, said the family member.

Bandarban Sadar police station officer-in-charge (OC) Md Masud Parvez said police searched Nargis Sultana’s room after reviewing CCTV footage and found child Taifa Sultana’s body inside a box.

The body was sent to Bandarban Sadar Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Nargis Sultana was arrested in the murder case, said the police officer.