Police said her body was found with her hands and legs tied, her mouth gagged and a brick tied to her waist.

According to the woman’s family, she had gone to the family’s cowshed with her mother to take care of the cattle on the evening of December 4. “While I returned home, she told me that would come after some time. Since then, she went missing,” the woman’s mother said.

Police said that the residents of the area told them that she was last seen riding pillion on a motorcycle with a man in his early 30s. While police said that a murder investigation was underway, the woman’s family alleged that she was raped and murdered.

“A murder investigation is underway based on the family’s complaint. The autopsy report will determine the exact cause of her death,” said Superintendent of Police (Basirhat) Hussain Mehdi Rahman, adding they were waiting for the postmortem report.

Another police officer said the family has not named any suspect. “We are investigating. It will soon be known who is involved in this. Action will be taken as per the law,” the officer added.

The woman’s grandmother, meanwhile, has written to the National Commission for Women demanding an inquiry into the death. “She claimed that it was clear from the body that her granddaughter was raped and murdered. However, the police did not make any statement on this,” a family member of the woman said.