LONDON: A 20-year-old Cardiff woman on holiday in Bangladesh with her family of five is the latest to die from suspected poisoning after the passing of her father and brother, the BBC reported on Saturday.
After being found unconscious by local police in a locked room in an apartment in the city of Sylhet on July 26, Samira Islam and four family members were rushed to hospital and placed on life support. But she died on Friday in what police suspect was a case of poisoning.
The funeral of her father and brother drew hundreds of mourners from around Sylhet on July 28. Her mother and older brother reportedly recovered and were released from hospital.
The two survivors told police that there was a faulty electricity generator in the apartment that was used on the night of the incident. The device emitted smoke, which police also say could be behind the poisoning.
The Cardiff family was visiting relatives on a two-month holiday when the incident took place. They were discovered unconscious in the apartment by visitors on July 26.
Police official Farid Uddin said: “Our primary suspicion is that they were poisoned. Our investigators are speaking with the relatives of the victims. So far we don’t think they have any enmity with anyone.”
Investigating officer Masudul Amin said: “We are also speaking with the relatives who were in the apartment and other residents of the building. No one has been detained or arrested in this murder.”
Friends of the family in Cardiff reacted with shock to the news, with Muhibur Islam, a mosque official, describing the incident as “terrible”, “tragic” and “hard to take in.” The family was described as “quiet” and “nice” by a neighbor.
Local Labour Party councillor Kanaya Singh said: “I hope that the authorities are able to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible.”