Police recovered the bodies of four members of a single family, including two young children, from their home in Naogaon district early on April 21 after neighbours discovered them dead with the door open.

The victims including a husband and wife and their nine-year-old son and three-year-old daughter suffered fatal throat wounds in an attack that occurred overnight in Bahadurpur village, Niamatpur sub-district.

Officers identified the dead as Habibur Rahman (32), his wife Poppy Sultana (25), their son Parvez (9) and daughter Sadia (3).

Police and local witnesses said the family had their dinner and retired for the night as usual. An old lady, walking past after Fajr prayers, noticed the front door open. She found the four bodies inside and her shouts alerted the neighbourhood.

Officers from Niamatpur police station arrived at the scene around 8 am and transported the remains to the 250-bed Naogaon General Hospital for post-mortem examination. “We are treating this with the utmost seriousness,” said Officer-in-Charge Mahbubur Rahman. “The investigation is active and legal proceedings are underway.”

No arrests have been made and police have yet to determine a motive for the killings.