Dhaka Court Orders Probe into Alleged Rape and Murder of Makeup Artist inside Photographer’s Studio
Photo Collected
A Dhaka tribunal has ordered an investigation into the death of a 24-year-old makeup artist, following allegations from her family that she was raped and murdered by her boyfriend and his parents. The court directed the Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police to probe the case and submit a report by September 10 after the victim’s sister filed a formal complaint.
The accused, 37-year-old photographer Nameem Ashraf, has been in custody for two weeks following an initial case filed by the victim’s brother, which accused him of abetment to suicide. The new complaint expands the scope of the investigation, naming both of Ashraf’s parents, 56-year-old Md. Ashrafuddin and 50-year-old Shahnaz Begum, as accomplices.
বিজ্ঞাপন
According to the legal complaint, the victim and Ashraf had been in a relationship for two years after meeting during a professional photoshoot. The couple had reportedly discussed marriage, though family members claimed Ashraf repeatedly delayed the union, leading to ongoing disputes. The victim’s sister alleges that Ashraf lured the woman to his studio in the Adabor area on June 10, forced her to lie to her family about her whereabouts, and held her captive for four days. The complaint further alleges that she was raped and subsequently murdered during this period.
Police discovered the victim’s body on the afternoon of June 14 after being called to the studio. At that time, Ashraf and an associate claimed they had found the studio door locked from the inside and broke in to find the woman hanging from the ceiling with a scarf. Investigating officer Sub-Inspector Sultanur Rahman of Adabor Police Station noted that while there were marks on the victim’s neck, initial observations revealed no obvious signs of physical struggle or torture, leading authorities to initially treat the incident as a potential suicide.
বিজ্ঞাপন
The victim’s family has vehemently rejected the suicide narrative, expressing frustration over the pace of the police investigation. The victim’s sister stated that the family chose to seek justice through the tribunal because they believe the initial police response was inadequate. Authorities maintain that a final determination regarding the cause of death is pending the results of a formal post-mortem examination. Ashraf remains incarcerated as investigations into both the suicide abetment and the murder allegations continue.
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