Court Orders CID Probe Into Death of Dhaka Physician Amid Allegations of Foul Play

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A Dhaka court has ordered an investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) into the death of physician Nafisa Tabassum, following allegations that her passing was a premeditated homicide involving negligence, domestic abuse, and a subsequent cover-up. The directive was issued by Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana on Tuesday, following a petition filed by lawyer Moshiur Rahman Shah.

According to the complaint, the victim’s husband, Rahmat Rashid, his parents, and a relative are among the accused. The legal filing alleges that the defendants—who include medical professionals—subjected Tabassum to sustained physical and psychological abuse, which exacerbated her struggle with post-partum depression, hypertension, and diabetes. The victim reportedly documented the domestic abuse within a professional social media group for doctors prior to her death, noting that her husband had also actively obstructed her pursuit of postgraduate medical studies.

The details presented to the court allege that the abuse escalated sharply in June when Tabassum was reportedly held in confinement within her Dhanmondi residence for three days. During this period, she was allegedly denied food and barred from seeing her two-year-old daughter. When her mother arrived at the apartment on June 4 and gained entry, Tabassum collapsed immediately after pleading for food. The complaint asserts that, despite the proximity of medical facilities, the accused intentionally delayed transporting her to a hospital, leading to her death while en route to BIRDEM General Hospital.

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The case further alleges that the defendants exploited their professional influence to secure a death certificate without a formal autopsy, thereby burying the victim quickly to destroy evidence of the crime. Legal counsel for the complainant stated that the court has been urged to issue arrest warrants for the accused, characterizing the sequence of events as a calculated effort to conceal a homicide. The CID has been tasked with conducting a thorough investigation into the charges, which include counts of causing death by negligence, fabrication of false evidence, and conspiracy.