Property disputes between blood relations are not uncommon in Bangladesh. 

But the same reached a new low on Wednesday when an 88-year-old man's burial was delayed by over 27 hours as his five children slugged it out over the partition of their ancestral land in Dakkhin Pachuria Ambalpur village of Goalanda upazila.

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Yeasin Molla, a farmer of the village, died at a hospital on Tuesday. His children brought their dead father back home that day only but soon started fighting over their family property and wealth as the body lay outside.

Local people soon alerted the Debgram Union chairman and all the children -- Bablu, Fulbaru, Rabeya, Mamtaz and Rahman -- were called to the house of the upazila chairman on Wednesday. 

After discussions, a settlement was reached. But the burial got delayed over allegations of foul play. The body was taken to the Rajbari Hospital morgue around 2 pm on Wednesday for an autopsy.

Finally, after 27 hours, Yeasin was laid to eternal rest.

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According to the other four children, Yeasin lived with Rahman, his youngest son. "And Rahman had forced Yeasin to bequeath the entire family property in his name."

A case was already filed at Rajbari District court, and Yeasin and his five children were all supposed to appear before the judge on Monday.

However, Yeasin fell sick on Monday and couldn't appear in the case, prompting the other children to level allegations of foul play against Rahman. They alleged that Rahman gave sedatives to their father.

However, Rahman refuted the allegations. “On Friday, my father fell sick and I took him to a private clinic where doctors prescribed some test and medicines. On Tuesday, my father’s condition deteriorated and the authorities of Goalanda Health Complex declared him dead on arrival."

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Hafizul Islam, chairman of Debgram Union, said l, “The five children have been locked in a property dispute for long."

Mizanur Rahman Akond, sub-inspector at Goalanda Ghat Police Station, said the body was taken to the local hospital morgue for an autopsy "after we received a complaint of foul play".