The death of the 33-year-old wife of independent lawmaker Mujibar Rahman Chowdhury alias Nixon Chowdhury at a hospital in the capital on Tuesday night remains as something of an enigma.
The mystery deepened as conflicting information began to pour in over the cause of the death of Muntarin Chowdhury, the wife of the lawmaker of constituency-4 in Faridpur.
Meanwhile, Nixon Chowdhury was also admitted to the United Hospital immediately after the death of his wife.
Khandaker Zahidur Rahman who claimed himself to be the personal assistant of Nixon Chowdhury said Muntarin did not commit suicide. She had slipped off the building top.
He also said that Nixon Chowdhury had been kept at the ICU after he fell sick.
Kawsar Hossain, the personal secretary of the lawmaker, however said Muntarin had fallen sick after a cardiac arrest before she was rushed to the hospital.
Meanwhile, the body of the deceased has been kept at the mortuary of the United Hospital where she died, said Khandaker Lutfu lKabir, deputy commissioner of the Gulshan Division of Police.
The hospital sources said Muntarin Chowdhury was declared dead around 9:50pm Tuesday by the doctors of the United Hospital immediately after she was rushed to the hospital from her husband’s Gulshan residence around 9:30pm.
Sabbir Hossain, a duty officer at the administration branch of the United Hospital, said Muntarin died after her admission to the hospital but the cause of the death could not be known.
The family members of lawmaker Nixon Chowdhury and his personal staff claimed that Muntarin had slipped off the building during the storm on Tuesday night and then she was rushed to the hospital where the doctors declared her death.
But a source close to the family of the lawmaker said Muntarin jumped from the top of the five-storey building after the couple had a quarrel.
On information of the death, a number of acquaintances of Nixon thronged the hospital and the residence of the lawmaker.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, many of them said they heard that Muntarin died of a cardiac arrest.
But the hospital authorities are yet to make any formal declaration over the cause of the death of the wife of the lawmaker. But some of the officials of the hospital said the cause of the death could be known after the autopsy is done.
They said the decision on the autopsy depends on the opinions of the parents and family members of the deceased.
DC Khandaker Lutful Kabir of Gulshan Division told the Dhaka Tribune: “The body of the deceased has been kept at the mortuary for the arrival of her parents and other family members from abroad. On the basis of their opinions the autopsy would be conducted.”
“So far we have been informed that the family members of the deceased are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka tomorrow (today),” the DC said. He said nobody had lodged any case over the death of the wife of the lawmaker.
Inspector Rafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of the Gulshan police station, said they had information about the death of the wife of lawmaker Nixon Chowdhury but they could not say for sure if she killed herself or she was pushed off the building top.
Nixon and Muntarin got married 18 years ago when Muntarin was a student of class VIII. Muntarin left behind a nine-year-old daughter who is a class-V student.
Nixon, who comes from Madaripur district, is brother of ruling party lawmaker Nur-e-Alam Chowdhury alias Liton Chowdhury.
Nixon was elected as a lawmaker from Faridpur as an independent candidate defeating Awami League presidium member Kazi Zafrullah.
