Son of US expatriate murdered in Dhaka, family demands fair tria

The death of a 36-year-old Bangladeshi-American businessman in Dhaka has sparked concern, with his family alleging that he may have been deliberately killed and that an attempt may have been made to portray the incident as suicide.

The family of Shihab Uddin Malek Sagar is demanding a fair and impartial investigation to determine the actual circumstances surrounding his death and bring those responsible to justice.

Sagar was the son of Abdul Malek, a US-based construction businessman and Brooklyn resident. The family’s ancestral home is in Sandwip, Chattogram.

According to information provided by the family, Sagar was involved in the restaurant business in Chattogram in 2018. He later moved to Dhaka and started a car business. During this period, he became acquainted with a woman named Mahjabin Islam Riya, and the two subsequently developed a romantic relationship.

The family alleges that Riya was married and had a child, and that she concealed this information from Sagar. They further alleged that she became involved with him with the intention of obtaining money from him. When Sagar eventually proposed marriage, the relationship reportedly deteriorated after Riya hesitated and later refused to marry him.

The family’s suspicions increased after learning that another man, in addition to a woman, was allegedly present at Sagar’s apartment around the time of the incident.

According to the family, Sagar arrived in Dhaka on a flight at 10:05am on August 19. He had reportedly booked a return flight for 5:15pm on August 21. However, on August 20, police recovered his body hanging inside an apartment in the Vatara police station area of Dhaka.

Sagar’s brother, Saif Uddin Malek Mamun, said he called Sagar at 4:33pm on August 19 but received no response. He sent him a message at 4:47pm. Sagar later replied with a voice message saying he was at the apartment but could not speak because other people were present.

Mamun said he last spoke with Sagar at around 6:14pm that evening.

According to Mamun, at around 10:10pm on the night of the incident, he spoke with Musa, who worked as the caretaker and assistant at Sagar’s apartment. Musa informed him of Sagar’s death and initially claimed that Sagar had been alone in the apartment. However, according to the family, Musa gave different accounts at different times.

Musa reportedly told Mamun that Sagar’s body had been found lying on the floor and at one point suggested taking the body outside and transporting it to a hospital.

Mamun also said Musa had sent a photograph to one of Sagar’s roommates, who was in Mecca performing Umrah at the time. The family later learned that Sagar’s hand appeared to be broken in the photograph.

Family members traveled to Dhaka the following morning and met officials at Vatara Police Station. At the family’s request, an autopsy was conducted. The family also said a case had been filed at the police station in connection with the death.

Investigation officer SI Md. Chand Mia said authorities were working to establish the facts of the incident. He added that police were continuing their efforts to investigate the case and apprehend the accused.

Sagar’s uncle, Anwar Hossain CPA, a US expatriate, alleged that there was an attempt to portray his nephew’s death as suicide despite the family’s belief that he was deliberately killed.

“My nephew may have been deliberately killed and there is an attempt to portray it as suicide,” he said. “Everyone who communicated with him before and after his death, as well as everyone present in the apartment at the time, should be questioned.”

The family also said Sagar had been preparing for nearly three months to return permanently to Chattogram. He had reportedly told his father, Abdul Malek, that he wanted to settle permanently in Chattogram. He had also discussed with his father where to keep his furniture and other belongings in Dhaka.

In recent months, Sagar had been regularly traveling between Dhaka and Chattogram, according to his family.

The family is calling for investigators to closely examine Sagar’s communications before and after his death, the roles of those present at the apartment, the autopsy findings and other surrounding circumstances.

They have urged authorities to complete the investigation quickly, establish the actual cause of Sagar’s death and take legal action against anyone found responsible.