U.S. Expatriate Businessman’s Son Dies in Dhaka; Family Alleges Planned Killing

The mysterious death of Shihab Uddin Malek, also known as Sagar, the 36-year-old son of a Bangladeshi-American businessman businessman, has raised questions, with his family alleging that he may have been deliberately killed after being lured into a so-called “honey trap” and that an attempt was made to portray the death as suicide.

The family has called for a fair and impartial investigation to determine the actual circumstances surrounding Sagar’s death and to bring anyone responsible to justice.

Sagar was the son of Abdul Malek, a construction businessman and Brooklyn resident in the United States. His ancestral home is in Sandwip, Chattogram.

According to his family, Sagar was involved in the restaurant business in Chattogram in 2018 before moving to Dhaka, where he later started a car business. During this period, he became acquainted with a woman identified by the family as Mahjabin Islam Riya, and the two subsequently developed a relationship.

The family alleges that Riya was married and had concealed her marital status from Sagar. They further allege that she became involved with him with the intention of obtaining money and later lured him into a relationship. According to the family, Sagar eventually proposed marriage, but Riya initially delayed and later refused, leading to a deterioration in their relationship.

The family also said that another man, along with a woman, was present at Sagar’s apartment around the time of the incident. A video circulating on social media allegedly shows Riya threatening Sagar with a machete. The family said the video has increased their suspicions regarding her possible involvement.

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

Sagar’s brother, Saif Uddin Malek “Mamun,” said he called Sagar at 4:33 p.m. on August 19 but received no response. He sent a message at 4:47 p.m. Sagar later replied with a voice message saying he was at the apartment but could not speak because other people were present. Mamun said their last conversation took place at around 6:14 p.m. that day.

Mamun said he later spoke with Musa, who worked as the caretaker and assistant at Sagar’s apartment, at around 10:10 p.m. Musa informed him of Sagar’s death and initially claimed that Sagar had been alone in the apartment. However, according to Mamun, Musa gave different accounts at different times. He also reportedly said that Sagar’s body had been lying on the floor and at one point discussed taking the body outside and transporting it to a hospital.

Mamun further said Musa had sent a photograph to one of Sagar’s roommates, who was in Makkah 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 spoke with officials at Vatara Police Station. At the family’s request, an autopsy was conducted. The family said a case was filed at Vatara Police Station on August 25 in connection with the death. The case number is 44.

Investigation Officer SI Md. Chand Mia said police were working to collect information about the incident. He said investigative efforts were continuing, including efforts to apprehend the accused.

Sagar’s uncle, Anwar Hossain CPA, a US expatriate, alleged that his nephew had been deliberately killed and that there was an attempt to portray the death as suicide. He called for questioning all people who communicated with Sagar before and after his death, as well as everyone present at the apartment at the time of the incident. He also announced a reward of Tk 500,000 for information leading to the arrest of the woman suspected by the family and other accused named in the case.

Meanwhile, family members said Sagar had been preparing for nearly three months to return permanently to Chattogram. He had reportedly told his father, Abdul Malek, about his plans and had discussed where to keep his furniture and other belongings in Dhaka. The family said he had also been traveling regularly between Dhaka and Chattogram in recent months.

The family has urged investigators to closely examine Sagar’s communications before and after his death, the roles of people present at the apartment, the autopsy findings and other surrounding circumstances. They are calling for a speedy and impartial investigation to establish what happened and for legal action against anyone found responsible.

The Reporter attempts to contact Mahzabin Islam Ria regarding this matter were unsuccessful, as it was not possible to connect to her mobile phone.