“643 unidentified bodies laid to rest in Dhaka cemeteries in 2025”

A total of 643 bodies recovered from different parts of the country in 2025 were buried as unclaimed in various cemeteries across the capital, Dhaka.

Of these, 461 bodies were laid to rest at Rayerbazar Graveyard, while 175 were buried at Jurain Graveyard. In addition, seven bodies belonging to individuals of other faiths were cremated at the Postogola crematorium.

According to Anjuman Mufidul Islam and related sources, an average of around 54 unidentified individuals were buried or cremated each month throughout the year.

Data from Anjuman Mufidul Islam show that 570 unclaimed bodies were buried in 2024, indicating an increase of 73 cases in 2025.

Analysts attribute this rise to heightened political tensions ahead of elections, which they say have contributed to an increase in violence and the frequent recovery of bodies from public locations.

Meanwhile, statistics from police headquarters reveal that 4,732 murder cases were recorded nationwide over a 16-month period from September 2024 to December 2025. Police data also show that law enforcement agencies register an average of about 2,500 cases of unnatural deaths each month across the country.

Narayanganj reported the highest number of recovered bodies. In 2025 alone, authorities retrieved 440 bodies from rivers in the district, though investigators have so far failed to identify 141 of them.

Mohammad Talebur Rahman, deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s media wing, said police hand over recovered bodies to Anjuman Mufidul Islam for burial after completing legal formalities if identities cannot be established. He noted that there is no fixed waiting period, as bodies cannot be preserved for extended durations.

The Human Rights Cultural Organisation (MSF) said authorities were able to identify only a small fraction of unidentified bodies in 2025, leaving most victims unnamed. The organisation criticised law enforcement agencies, arguing that their failure to identify victims undermines the pursuit of justice.

Citing media reports and its own data, MSF said authorities recovered 641 unidentified bodies last year. The organisation emphasised that merely reporting the recovery of bodies does not absolve the state of responsibility and urged authorities to identify victims and ensure accountability for those responsible for the killings.