She Built Her Children's Futures Working Abroad; in Old Age She Died Alone in a Rented Room in Babuganj

Tahmina Begum, 65, spent a large part of her life in Saudi Arabia building a future for her children. Yet in her final days she was living alone in a rented home in the Notun Hat area of Babuganj upazila in Barisal. On Sunday afternoon (October 25), police recovered her decomposing body from that rented house.

Police initially suspect that Tahmina Begum died one to two days earlier. How she died has not yet been confirmed. Her body has been sent to the morgue of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital to determine the actual cause of death.

Tahmina Begum was the wife of the late Kadam Ali Hawlader of Rakudia village in Dehergati union of Babuganj upazila. She lost her husband about 20 years ago, when her four children were still young.

According to local residents and close relatives, thinking of her children's future, Tahmina Begum sold her husband's homestead and travelled to Saudi Arabia. She worked there for about 10 years and used her earnings to raise and establish her four children.

Her elder son, Sumon, lives in Uttara in the capital, where locals say he owns a six-storey building and an electric board manufacturing factory. Her younger son, Awlad, also works in Dhaka. She arranged good marriages for her two daughters, Hira and Mukta.

About three months ago, her elder brother Ramiz rented the house in the Notun Hat area for her, and she had been living there alone ever since. The house owner, Abdul Barek, said Tahmina Begum was often ill and would sometimes wander around the shops in the market. In those three months, her sons and daughters did not come to see her even once, the landlord said.

For the past two days, Tahmina Begum had not been seen outside. A foul smell had been noticed around the house since Saturday afternoon, but landlord Abdul Barek initially assumed a rat had died in a neighbouring room.

On Sunday morning, while tracing the source of the smell, he realised it was coming from Tahmina Begum's room. Her elder brother was then informed. Arriving at the house, he found the room's door slightly open; entering, he saw his sister's body lying inside and informed the police. Police went to the spot and recovered the body.

Mizanur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Babuganj Police Station, said the deceased's elder brother found the body in the morning and informed the police, who then recovered it from the spot. It is initially believed that the woman died one to two days ago.

The OC added that the body has been sent to the morgue of Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital for autopsy, and the exact cause of death will be known once the autopsy report arrives. If the family files a written complaint, legal action will be taken subject to investigation, he said.