Kutubdia Police Station in Cox’s Bazar, established in 1917, still lacks a morgue after 108 years. Despite the construction of a new three-story building with a large budget, no separate room was allocated for preserving bodies. As a result, when a body is recovered, it must be sent about 100 kilometers away to the district hospital for storage and autopsy, causing both time delays and financial strain.

In the absence of a morgue, recovered bodies are often kept for hours on the open ground floor of the police station, exposing them to the risk of attacks by stray animals. Police officers or relatives must stay overnight to guard the bodies. Officer-in-Charge Md. Mahbubul Alam stated that all police stations are supposed to have morgues, but Kutubdia does not. He added that the island’s location makes autopsies difficult, as bodies must be transported across a channel to the district headquarters.

The officer said he would bring the issue to the attention of higher authorities for urgent consideration.