3 cars torched in Banasree after maid's death

Enraged locals torched three cars parked at a house in Banasree after a house help fell to her death from atop the building.

The deceased was identified as Asma Begum, 33. The incident happened at house number 32, road number 4 of D block in Banasree on Sunday morning. On information, police and two units of the fire service rushed to the spot. Three members of the police were injured when locals hurled brickbats at them.

Rampura Police Station Officer in Charge Moshiur Rahman, who was among the injured, said the police went to the house after receiving information that a house help had died there. Locals crowded the house after they learned of the death and stopped police from retrieving the body.

Additional police force was deployed in the area to control the situation. At one point, locals set fire to three cars parked in the building's garage. A conflict with the police broke out afterwards.

The maid's body was recovered and sent to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital for autopsy after the situation stabilised.

According to police, the house belongs to former Tax Commissioner Delowar Hossain. The house help, Asma, used to live at his daughter Kaniz Fatema's house in Mirpur. Three days ago Kaniz Fatema and the maid came to visit.

On Sunday morning, Delowar Hossain's son, Mehedi Hasan, a lawyer of the Supreme Court, called the police to inform them that Asma had fallen from the building and died.

No details about how Asma fell to her death were immediately found, OC Moshiur Rahman said. An investigation is underway. Mehedi Hasan was taken to the police station for interrogation in this matter.

/KN/