It was late in the afternoon of April 26 in 2021, just after 3pm, that Gulshan Thana police were called to a posh apartment block on a side street off Gulshan South Avenue, on Road 120.  When they got there, they found Nusrat Jahan Tania, a resident of Cumilla, who was there to pick up her sister, Mosharrat Jahan Munia, 21, but was failing to get into her flat. Despite knowing her sister was coming to pick her up, Munia was not answering the doorbell. Tania had asked the flat’s owner, who lived in the same building, for a spare key, but strangely, they failed to provide it. It was then that the decision was made to call in the police, in order to break down the door to Munia’s flat and get in. Tania already had a sinking feeling about the whole situation. It wasn’t as if she was there to pick up her sister on a whim. Munia had been calling her since 9am that morning, sounding distressed and asking her elder sister, the only guardian she had left in the world, to come and take her back to Cumilla as she was in great danger after being ‘betrayed’ by her lover.    That lover happened to be Sayem Sobhan Anvir, managing director of the Bashundhara Group, one of the country’s largest business houses. Although otherwise married with children, Anvir had been carrying on an extramarital affair with Munia, almost 20 years his junior, on and off for around two years at that point. He had put her up in the flat on Road 120, which was owned by his friend, two months earlier. Prior to that, he had rented out a flat in Banani, where Munia had stayed for almost a year. In between, she had been forced to return to Cumilla after Anvir’s family found out about the affair. Munia was picked up and threatened with dire consequences unless she ended the affair and went back to Cumilla. That was when she was forced to vacate the Banani flat and go back to Cumilla, around the middle of 2020. But somewhere around February 2021 he had turned up at their home in Cumilla and taken Munia back to Dhaka, commencing her stay in Gulshan. As the door to this flat was broken down in police presence that day, Tania’s worst fears came true. Munia’s body was found ‘hanging’ from the ceiling fan in her room, with a dupatta tied around her neck. Tania immediately noticed that to say she was ‘hanging’ was a stretch, since not just her feet, but even her knees were almost touching the bed on which this apparent scene of a suicide had been staged. UNB has viewed crime scene photos that confirm this, but they are too graphic to publish. Based on what she saw in Munia’s flat and her prior knowledge, Tania wanted to file a murder case against Anvir under Section 302 of the Penal Code that night at Gulshan Thana.  But the Gulshan police flat-out refused to record such a case against Anvir. It was the first of a series of missteps by the police that would become a hallmark of the case. Eventually, well past midnight, they would relent on recording a case under Section 306 - the much lesser crime of abetting or instigating suicide. Read: Munia Murder Case: HC accepts petition for reinvestigation against PBI’s report clearing Anvir Later that year, in August, the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury relieved Anvir of the charge under Section 306, after the investigating officer of the case, Gulshan Thana OC Abul Hasan, submitted a final report to the court giving a clean chit to Anvir. But this was only the beginning. Munia's sister, Nusrat Jahan, said, "Since I started seeking justice, I have been receiving threats over the phone. Even now, they are telling us not to speak about this anymore. I was never afraid for my life back then, and I’m not afraid now. Just last week, I received another threat call. We have filed a general diary (GD) three times regarding this. My husband and I have been threatened with death. I have stopped receiving calls from unknown numbers. Munia was not just my sister; she was like my child." Nusrat's husband, Mizanur Rahman, said, "I receive calls from various numbers asking me and my wife to withdraw the case. We live in constant fear. My wife is scared, so I have forbidden her from answering any unknown numbers.” Advocate Sarwar Hossain, who filed the petition in the case, provided details of Munia's relationship with the prime accused, Sayem Sobhan Anvir. Hossain said, "Anvir took an interest in Munia and promised to marry her. From June 2019 to April 2020, they lived together as a couple in a residence in Banani. Munia then went to Comilla but was brought back to Dhaka by Anvir. From March 1 until her death on April 26, 2021, she was kept in a flat in Gulshan. Munia stayed in the Banani house for 9 months and in the Gulshan flat for 6 months. Evidence suggests that only Anvir could enter the Gulshan apartment during that time." Hossain added that when Munia was found dead, her feet were reportedly touching the floor, suggesting she had been hung in a forced position. The initial case was filed under Section 306 of the Penal Code, charging provocation to suicide, but Hossain argued it should have been a case of murder under Section 302. The case was later reviewed and refiled under the Women and Children Repression Act and Section 302 following a fresh petition. The investigation was handed over to the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI). However, the initial final report, filed under Section 306, was challenged, and an appeal was made on May 8, 2024. The appeal was accepted, and the case will now be heard in the High Court to determine whether the petition for a fresh investigation will be granted. Forensic findings played a crucial role in the investigation. The autopsy report revealed that sperm from a male was found on Munia’s body, suggesting that she was raped before her death. The investigation also revealed that Munia had been three weeks pregnant at the time of her death, further complicating the case by suggesting a double homicide if the fetus was also considered a victim. CCTV footage and testimony from the housemaid confirmed that only Anvir could have been present in the apartment during the time leading up to the murder. Read more: Munia’s sister still undaunted in search  for justice; demands Anvir's arrest and reinvestigation Sarwar Hossain argued that these findings, including evidence of sexual assault and pregnancy, confirmed that Munia was murdered, and the manner in which she was found hanging suggests a staged scene. Lawyer Masud Salauddin has been representing Munia’s family in the case from the very beginning. He said, "In the one and a half years since the case started, there have been about 10-12 hearings, but nothing has progressed in the case. After the submission of the final report, the accused were acquitted. We filed a petition against that, and we are now waiting for the hearing on that petition." Meanwhile, sources confirmed that several police officers who had previously worked on the case are no longer in their positions. Attempts to contact them for further comment were unsuccessful. PBI Additional SP Tanzina Akhter was contacted, but after initially agreeing to provide information, she later declined to comment, stating that former officers handling the case were unwilling to speak on the matter.

A Dhaka court on Sunday allowed Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) an extended time until December 8 to submit its investigation report on Bashundhara Group MD Sayem Sobhan Anvir and seven others accused in a case over the rape and murder of college student Mosarat Jahan Munia. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Begum Yasmin Ara set the new deadline of December 8 after PBI failed to submit the report today (Sunday), as it was earlier asked by the same court. This was the second time PBI investigation officer (IO) of the case Golam Muktar Ashraf Uddin, also an inspector of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), failed to submit the report after the first failure on November 2. Also read: HC rejects Bashundhara MD’s anticipatory bail plea over Munia death case On April 26, police recovered the body of the 21-year-old Munia hanging from a ceiling fan of her bedroom in a Gulshan flat. Munia's elder sister, Nusrat Jahan Tania, filed a case against Anvir that night accusing him of incitement to suicide. According to Tania, her sister, Munia, was in a relationship with Anvir who regularly visited her at the Gulshan apartment. On July 19, the investigation officer of the case Abul Hasan, also the officer-in-charge of Gulshan Police Station, submitted a final report to the court giving a clean chit to Anvir. On September 6, Munia's sister filed new rape and murder case against the Bashundhara Group MD and seven others with Dhaka's 8th Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children's Repression. Also read: Munia Murder Case: IO summoned Sunday to explain inaction The court, after recording the complaint, directed the PBI to submit a report on it. The seven other accused in the case are: Anvir’s parents Bashundhara Group's Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan Shah Alam and Afroza Begum, Anvir's wife Sabrina Sayem and model Faria Mahbub Piyasha, friend Saifa Rahman Mim and owner of the flat Ibrahim Ahmed Ripon and his wife Sharmim Akhter.

The High Court on Wednesday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir in a case filed over rape and murder of college student Mosarat Jahan Munia. However, the HC granted six weeks' anticipatory bail to Sabrina Sayem, the  wife of Anvir in the same case. The HC bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice KM Zahid Sarwar Kajol passed the order. Lawyer Yusuf Hossain Humayun represented the accused petitioners during hearing on the matter. Read: Munia rape and murder case: Bashundhara MD seeks anticipatory bail On April 26, police recovered the body of the 21-year-old college student hanging from  A ceiling fan of her bedroom in a Gulshan flat. On September 6, victim's elder sister Nusrat Jahan filed the case with Dhaka Women andChildren Repression Prevention Tribunal-8 against eight people including Anvir. Read:Munia's death: Bashundhara MD among 8 sued over ‘rape, murder’ Chairman of Bashundhara Group Ahmed Akbar Sobhan alias Shah Alam and six others were also made accused in the case on charge of abetting the crime. Tribunal judge Mafroza Parveen reviewed the case filed before the court by Nusrat Jahan Tania, sister of Munia, and asked Police Bureau of Investigation to probe the case.

Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir  submitted a petition to the High Court on Thursday seeking anticipatory bail in a case over the rape and murder of college student Mosarat Jahan Munia in April this year. HC bench of Justice Msotafa Zaman Islam and KM Zahid Sarwar will hear the bail petition on September 29. On April 26, police recovered the hanging body of Munia from her flat in Gulshan. Munia's elder sister Nusrat Jahan Tania filed a case against Anvir that night accusing him of incitement to suicide. According to Tania, her sister Munia was in a relationship with Anvir who regularly visited her at the Gulshan apartment. Also read: Munia's death: Bashundhara MD among 8 sued over ‘rape, murder’ On July 19, the investigating officer of the case, Gulshan Police Station officer-in-charge Abul Hasan, submitted a final report to the court giving a clean chit to Anvir. On September 6, Munia's sister Nusrat Jahan Tania filed a rape and murder case against Bashundhara Group MD and seven others with Dhaka's 8th Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children's Repression. The court after recording the complaint, directed the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to submit a report on it. Also read: Munia's death: Court accepts IO's final report clearing Bashundhara Group MD The seven other accused in the case are: Bashundhara Group's Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan Shah Alam, Shah Alam's wife Afroza Begum; Anvir's wife Sabrina Sayem; Faria Mahbub Piyasha; Saifa Rahman Mim; landlord of the flat where the victim was staying, Ibrahim Ahmed Ripon and his wife Sharmim Akhter.

In the abetment of suicide case of college student Mosarat Jahan Munia, her sister filed a  no-confidence petition in response to the police's final investigation report that exempted Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir from charges. Nusrat Jahan Tania filed the petition Tuesday with the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Rajesh Chowdhury. General Registry official, Deputy  Inspector Alamghir Hossain said the court may hold a hearing on the petition on Wednesday after assessing the documents but it’s not confirmed. On July 19, Gulshan police submitted a final investigation report on the case exempting Anvir from the charges. Also read: Munia’s Death: Sister files GD after receiving death threat On April 26, Munia’s sister filed a case with the Gulshan police station after her body was recovered from a flat in Gulshan. According to the case complaint, in 2019 after being introduced through a friend Anvir started living with Munia in a Banani flat as husband-wife. In 2020, when Anvir’s family got to know about their relationship, his mother started threatening Munia. After that Anvir sent Munia back to her hometown Cumilla saying he will marry her later. On March 1, 2021, Anvir rented a flat in Gulshan area and Munia was living in that flat since. Also read: Munia’s death: HC refuses to hear Bashundhara MD’s anticipatory bail plea On April 23, Anvir had a fall out with Munia and threatened her over posting a photo in a neighbor’s house where she went for an iftar party On April 25, Munia had called her sister in Cumilla and confided to being "in trouble". On that basis, Nusrat Jahan came to Dhaka next day and reached her sister's flat in the evening.  As her sister didn't answer the door,  she then informed the landlord, who called in the police. In the flat they found Munia's hanging body.   

Five family members of  Bashundhara Group's  Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir and their three domestic helps left the country for Dubai on a chartered flight on Thursday night. Sources at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport said the five family members include Anvir's wife Sabrina Sobhan, their two children, wife of Anvir's younger brother Yeasha Sobhan and their daughter. Three domestic helps  also accompanied them.   Also read: Young woman found dead in Gulshan; case filed against Bashundhara MD "The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) gave permission to operate the chartered aircraft," said a CAAB official prefering anonymity.  He said the passengers boarded the aircraft on completion of necessary  formalities. He, however, said airport security officials were on high alert so that Sayem Sobhan Anvir cannot leave the country. A Dhaka court on Tuesday issued a travel ban on Sayem Sobhan after the recovery of a young woman's body hanging from the ceiling at a flat in the capital on Monday. Also read: Dhaka court imposes travel ban on Bashundhara MD over abetting suicide  The deceased was identified as Mosarat Jahan Munia, 21, daughter of late Shafiqur Rahman, a freedom fighter of Monoharpur in Cumilla district. Following the recovery of her body, the victim's sister, Nusrat Jahan, filed a case under section 306 of Bangladesh Penal Code with Gulshan Police Station on Tuesday. In the case, Nusrat Jahan made Sayem Sobhan Anvir the lone accused of abetting the death of the 21-year-old college student. Also read: Bashundhara Group MD seeks anticipatory bail On Wednesday, Anvir filed a petition with the High Court, seeking anticipatory bail in the case. But, the High Court declined to hear the anticipatory bail petition on Thursday.

Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir on Wednesday (April 28, 2021) filed a petition with the High Court, seeking an anticipatory bail in a case filed over abetting the suicide of a young girl whose body was recovered from a flat in Dhaka’s Gulshan area. The petition was included in the cause list for hearing at the bench of Justice Mamunur Rahman and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman, court sources said. Also read: Young woman found dead in Gulshan; case filed against Bashundhara MD As per law, the accused must appear before court physically for hearing on an anticipatory bail plea but the accused could be connected virtually with the court during the virtual hearing. On Monday, police recovered the hanging body of Mosarat Jahan, 21, daughter of late Shafiqur Rahman, a freedom fighter of Monoharpur in Cumilla district, from a flat in Dhaka’s Gulshan area. Also read: Dhaka court imposes travel ban on Bashundhara MD over abetting suicide Following the recovery of her body, the victim's sister, Nusrat Jahan, filed a case under section 306 of Bangladesh Penal Code with Gulshan Police Station around 1:30 am on Tuesday. In the case, Nusrat Jahan made Sayem Sobhan Anvir, managing director of Bashundhara Group, as the lone accused of abetting the death of the 21-year-old college student. Read Those responsible for Muniya’s death to be brought to justice: Minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Wednesday said those who will be found responsible for the death of Mosarat Jahan Muniya must be brought to justice. The minister came up with the remark while responding to a question from reporters at his Dhanmondi residence on Wednesday. Also read: Young woman found dead in Gulshan; case filed against Bashundhara MD “I clearly say that everything will go as per the law…the law will take its own course.  Whoever is the culprit will face the trial. So, we can say more about it only after investigation,” he added. Police on Monday recovered the hanging body of Mosarat Jahan, 21, daughter of late Shafiqur Rahman, a freedom fighter of Monoharpur in Cumilla district, from a flat in Dhaka’s Gulshan area. Also read: Muniya’s grieving family seeks justice Following the recovery of her body, the victim's sister, Nusrat Jahan, filed a case under section 306 of Bangladesh Penal Code with Gulshan Police Station around 1:30 am on Tuesday. In the case, Nusrat Jahan made Sayem Sobhan Anvir, managing director of Bashundhara Group, as the lone accused of abetting the death of the 21-year-old college student.

A Dhaka court issued a travel ban on Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir today over his alleged connection with a case filed over abetting suicide of a young girl whose body was recovered from a rented flat in Dhaka's Gulshan area last night. The court of Metropolitan Magistrate Md Shahidul Islam passed the order after Abul Hassan, officer-in-charge of Gulshan Police Station and also the investigation officer of the case, submitted a petition seeking travel ban on the Bashundhara Group MD. Although it was granted, there were unconfirmed reports circulating Tuesday of Sobhan having left the country already on a cargo flight. Also read: Young woman found dead in Gulshan; case filed against Bashundhara MD Police recovered the hanging body of a young girl from a flat in the city's Gulshan area on Monday (April 26, 2021) night. A case was filed by the victim’s sister Nusrat Jahan against Sayem Sobhan Anvir, managing director of Bashundhara Group over instigating the victim to commit suicide under section 306 of Bangladesh Penal Code with Gulshan Police Station around 1:30 am on Tuesday (April 27, 2021). According to Nusrat, the victim called her on Sunday, and confided to being "in trouble". On that basis, Nusrat Jahan came to Dhaka on Monday and reached her sister's flat in the evening. After Musharrat didn't answer the door, she managed to enter the flat with help from the landlord and found her sister's hanging body and police were called in, who recovered it. Read Palestinian student studying in Bangladesh commits suicide in Gaza