Police investigate death of 9-year-old domestic worker in Dhaka high-rise
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A nine-year-old domestic worker died under mysterious circumstances in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi area on Friday morning, sparking allegations of foul play from the child’s grieving family. The girl, who worked for an additional chief engineer at the Water Development Board, was declared dead upon arrival at Ibn Sina Hospital in Zigatola after being transported from the engineer’s residence.
According to Assistant Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) for the Dhanmondi zone, Saddam Hossain, the child resided with the engineer, his wife, and their two children in a tenth-floor apartment. Following the pronouncement of death, police prepared an inquest report and transferred the body to the Dhaka Medical College (DMC) morgue for an autopsy.
বিজ্ঞাপন
The child’s parents, who arrived at the morgue in distress, vehemently rejected claims that their daughter died in a fall. Her father, a day laborer from Sunamganj, recounted that he had placed his daughter in the household fifteen days before Eid-ul-Adha for a monthly wage of 4,000 taka. He alleged that his daughter had recently contacted them via video call, crying and expressing a desire to leave the job. When the parents attempted to retrieve her, the employer reportedly demanded a repayment of 10,000 taka to terminate the arrangement.
The father further alleged that he initially received a phone call claiming his daughter was suffering from dysentery. Upon arriving in Dhaka, however, the employer changed the narrative, asserting that the child had fallen from the building. The employer could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone remained switched off throughout the afternoon.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Police are currently investigating the incident to determine whether the death was an accident, a suicide, or a result of physical abuse. Assistant Commissioner Hossain stated that while the employer’s household claims the child fell while on the rooftop, investigators have yet to reach a definitive conclusion. He declined to comment on whether any external injuries were visible on the child’s body, noting that further information would be released pending the autopsy results.
This incident marks the third reported death of a child domestic worker in Dhanmondi in less than a year. Similar tragedies occurred in April and August of the previous year, when young girls were found dead under suspicious circumstances in the same neighborhood, drawing renewed concern regarding the safety and treatment of minors employed in domestic roles.
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