Woman entrepreneur, beautician's body found hanging in Khulna flat

A woman entrepreneur and beautician was found hanging inside a flat in Khulna’s Sonadanga area, with police saying they suspect she may have died by suicide several days earlier.

The deceased was identified as Moni Khan, 38, who ran a beauty parlour called Moni Khan Beauty Zone on New Market Approach Road and had also been training women in beauty services for years to help them become financially independent.

Moni was the wife of local resident Hossain Rashid Khan and lived as a tenant at Azadul Haque’s house in the Karimanagar Mosque Lane area.

Police and local residents said a foul smell had been coming from the flat for several days, raising suspicion among neighbours. After receiving no response from inside, residents contacted the national emergency service 999.

A team from New Market Police Station later went to the flat and broke open the door. Police found Moni’s body hanging inside. The door was reportedly secured from the inside with a latch.

Police initially estimated that she may have died at least three days earlier. The prolonged presence of the body inside the closed flat was believed to have caused decomposition and the resulting foul smell.

Police said the body was recovered and sent to the morgue at Khulna Medical College Hospital for autopsy. They have not yet ruled out other possible causes of death, however, and said the exact circumstances would be determined after the post-mortem examination.

Rafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sonadanga Police Station, said, "A preliminary investigation suggested that a family dispute may have led Moni to take her own life. Police would take further legal action after completing the inquest and autopsy."

Police said the body would be handed over to her family after the autopsy.