TDS Desk:

A total of 643 bodies recovered from different areas in 2025 were buried and laid to rest as unclaimed in various cemeteries across the capital Dhaka.

Of them, 461 bodies were buried at Rayerbazar Graveyard and 175 at Jurain Graveyard. In addition, seven bodies belonging to people of other faiths were cremated at the Postogola crematorium.

On average, around 54 unidentified individuals were buried or cremated each month during the year, according to Anjuman Mufidul Islam and related sources.

Data from Anjuman Mufidul Islam show that authorities buried 570 unclaimed bodies in 2024, meaning the number rose by 73 in 2025.

Analysts link the increase to growing political tension ahead of elections, which they say has led to more violent incidents and the frequent recovery of bodies from public places.

Meanwhile, police headquarters statistics show that authorities recorded 4,732 murder cases nationwide over a 16-month period from September 2024 to December 2025. Police data also indicate that stations across the country register an average of about 2,500 unnatural death cases every month.

Narayanganj reported the highest number of recovered bodies. Last year alone, authorities recovered 440 bodies from rivers in the district, but investigators have yet 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 procedures if they fail to establish identities. He said officials do not follow a fixed timeline because they cannot preserve bodies for long periods.

The Human Rights Cultural Organisation (MSF) said authorities managed to identify only a small number of unidentified bodies in 2025, leaving most victims nameless. The group questioned the role of law enforcement agencies, saying their failure to identify victims undermines justice.

Citing media reports and its own data, MSF said authorities recovered 641 unidentified bodies last year. The organisation stressed that simply reporting the recovery of bodies does not end the state’s responsibility and urged authorities to identify victims and ensure legal action against those involved in killings.