2 Chinese nationals found dead in Uttara hotels

Police recovered the bodies of two Chinese nationals from two separate residential hotels in the capital’s Uttara on Saturday, report different national dailies.

One of them was identified as Zhao, 32, while the other was identified as Li Xingqiang, 40.

Police recovered Zhao’s body from a hotel in Uttara’s Sector 4 after being informed by the hotel authorities. He had checked into the hotel with three other Chinese nationals yesterday.

Confirming the matter, Uttara West Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Khalid Mansur told media, "We initially suspect that Zhao died from excessive drinking. There was froth around his mouth and a smell of alcohol."

He also said the other three Chinese nationals staying in the adjacent rooms told police that Zhao had gone out to drink last night and returned to the hotel later.

His body was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for autopsy, the OC said.

“The exact cause of death will be known after we receive the autopsy report,” he added.

Police recovered the body of another Chinese national from a hotel room in Dhaka’s Uttara on Saturday morning. The deceased was identified as Li Xingqiang, aged about 40, from Henan province. His body was found in room 905 of Bengal Hotel and Hospitality Limited in Sector 3 of Uttara.

Mohammad Khalid Mansur, officer-in-charge of Uttara West Police Station, said three other Chinese nationals staying in rooms 404 and 406 of the hotel found Li lying on the floor and alerted the hotel authorities. Police later recovered the body.

Li had arrived in Bangladesh the previous night and checked into the hotel, the OC said.

Police believe he died from excessive alcohol consumption, though the Khalid said this would only be confirmed following a post-mortem examination.

Police have confirmed that Bengal Hotel and Hospitality Limited does not hold a licence to sell or permit alcohol consumption on its premises. Several officials from the Department of Narcotics Control have stated that hotel guests were allegedly being supplied alcohol regularly from a nearby bar.

Police are also investigating when the Chinese national arrived in Dhaka and for what purpose, and have informed the relevant authorities of the matter, as per the Khalid’s statement.

After an inquest, the body was sent to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital morgue for an autopsy.