The hanging body of a female opera dancer has been recovered from the Barisal International Trade Fair compound in the city on Tuesday night.
Sathi Biswas, 22, daughter of Pious Biswas, of Chalna, Bagerhut, was working as a dancer in Natya Manjury Opera Company of Gopalganj.
Sub Inspector of Barisal Kotwali police station Monowara Begum said: “Police recovered the hanging body of Sathi from the abandoned slipway shed of the BIWTA workshop adjacent to the fair venue.
The body was sent to Sher E Bangla Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy after lodging a case of unnatural death in this connection,” she added.
She further said: “The owner of the opera company, Sukomol Bose, informed the police about the death. We have held him for primary interrogation.”
Minati Bose, main actress and wife of Sukomol Bose, said: “Sathi was collected from Chalna for dancing in the Jatra shows about 8-month ago.”
She claimed that Sathi was engaged in a love affair with Shiba Ball, musician of the Jatra Company.
“As authority denied allowing Jatra shows in the trade fair, the company has been incurring losses from last few days. In such circumstance, Shiba left the company. Sathi might have committed suicide because of the reason,” said Minati.
However, Sathi's co-actors, wishing anonymity, said Sathi was sexually harassed and her lover was assaulted by the owner of the Jatra company.
The owner also refused to allow them to get married. Shiba fled the opera fearing “further assault” and Sathi committed suicide in order to save herself from “the sexual slavery.”