Court orders exhumation of Dr Dhipra's body for autopsy

The court has ordered the exhumation of Dr Nafisa Tabassum Dhipra's body from her grave for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death and investigate allegations raised in the case.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman passed the order on Tuesday, July 14, after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the investigating agency, applied for permission to exhume and conduct the autopsy.

In the order, the court stated that the case alleges Dr Dhipra was subjected to planned mental and physical torture. There are also allegations that she was pushed towards death by not providing proper medical treatment. The court deemed an autopsy necessary for an impartial investigation.

The order further noted that Dhipra was buried on June 5 at the Rayerbazar Intellectuals' Graveyard without an autopsy, which has been cited in the case as an allegation of tampering with evidence.

The investigating officer, CID Special Superintendent Mahmudul Hasan, sought the court's permission to exhume the body, prepare an inquest report, complete the autopsy and rebury the remains according to religious rites. The court, exercising powers under Section 176(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code, granted the application and directed the Dhaka District Magistrate, Dhaka Civil Surgeon, Deputy Police Commissioner of Tejgaon Division, and the investigating officer to take necessary measures.

Dr Nafisa Tabassum Dhipra died on June 4. After her death, many of her relatives, friends and classmates claimed inconsistencies in the explanation of 'cardiac arrest' as the cause of death.

The case alleges that Dhipra was subjected to prolonged mental and physical torture by her husband and in-laws. She was confined to a room for three consecutive days before her death and was not given adequate food. In a social media post two days before her death, she also mentioned being tortured.

On June 16, the victim's relative Md Mashiur Rahman Shah filed a case accusing the deceased doctor's husband, in-laws and others of negligence causing death, torture, and concealment of evidence by burying without an autopsy.

Those named in the case include Dr Dhipra's husband Dr Rahmat Rashid Siyam, her father-in-law Dr Mohammad Abdur Rashid (head of the cardiac department at Birdem Hospital), mother-in-law Siddika Sultana, brother-in-law and 'Yarki' editor Simu Naser, and several others unknown.