Unidentified bodies left at morgue for four months

Two unidentified non-Muslim corpses at Dhaka Medical College mortuary could not be handed over to any charity for their burial or cremation even after about four months due to the lack of non-Muslim charities.

The corpses are of a non-Muslim male and a Hindu female, said the mortuary authorities.

An autopsy of the unidentified male, about 50, was conducted at DMC morgue on October 20 last year and the female was taken to DMCH in a critical condition following a road accident on October 15. Before dying, she said her name was Nandini, added mortuary authorities. She had sindoor along the parting of her hairline and was wearing shankhas (bangles).

Five to six unidentified non-Muslim bodies were usually brought to the mortuary each year, said sources there.

Abdul Halim, assistant director (admin) of charity organisation Anjuman Mofidul Islam, said they do not conduct funeral of corpses belonging to any other religion except Islam. "So we did not receive the bodies," he told The Daily Star.

An organisation in the capital's Shankhari Bazar area used to cremate bodies of Hindu persons about two decades ago. It is not available at present, added morgue source.

Abu Bakar Siddique, officer-in-charge of Shahbagh Police Station, said they kept the bodies at the mortuary and will conduct the burials after identification, which is a usual practise for them. Seeking anonymity, a police official of the station said burials and cremations were delayed due to a fund shortage.