Use body for research

A Dhaka court yesterday asked Dhaka Medical College Hospital authorities to use the body of a schoolteacher for research as his two wives failed to prove whether he was a Hindu or a Muslim.
Chandan Chakrabarty alias Sajjad Hossain, 45, teacher of Khilgaon Ideal School and College, was knifed to death by a gang of miscreants on December 25, 2009 while returning to his Khilgaon residence in the capital.
Another Dhaka court had passed the same order on January 26, 2010 but the wives filed petitions with yesterday's court for handing over the body for funeral as per their own religious rituals.
One wife, Tithi Chakrabarty, wanted a cremation as per Hindu rites while the other, Aklima Akhter Polly, wanted a burial as per Islamic rituals, stating that Chandan had converted to Islam before marrying her.
Yesterday, Second Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Shahidul Islam scrutinised documents placed by the two.
The magistrate, in his order, said a question of religious sentiment has arisen over the handover of the body to the two wives. Moreover, the two wives had failed to prove whether the man converted to Islam from Hinduism.
So, neither Tithi nor Aklima would get the body, he said.
The two wives said they would go to the higher courts challenging the order's legality.