HC seeks explanation over absence of female morgue assistants for post-mortems on women

The High Court has issued a rule asking the government to explain why it should not be directed to appoint at least one female morgue assistant in every hospital morgue where post-mortems are conducted to protect the dignity, privacy and modesty of deceased women.

The rule was issued today (19 July) by a High Court bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Md Asif Hasan after hearing a writ petition.

The court asked the respondents, including the health secretary and the director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), to respond to the rule within four weeks.

The writ was filed in the public interest by Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Monir Uddin. Advocate Md Monir Uddin represented the petitioner during the hearing.

Before filing the writ, the petitioner submitted an application to the DGHS seeking the appointment of at least one female morgue assistant in every hospital where post-mortems are carried out. The writ was filed after no response was received.

According to the petition, the appointment of female morgue assistants would help protect the privacy and dignity of deceased women during post-mortem examinations.

The petition states that families of deceased women are often distressed by the prospect of male morgue assistants handling the bodies of their relatives and argues that appointing female assistants could provide some reassurance during a difficult time.

It also says women are now working alongside men in all sectors and that appointing female morgue assistants would help eliminate discrimination while respecting religious sensitivities and personal privacy after death.

The petition further refers to allegations and convictions involving sexual abuse of female corpses by male morgue workers.

It cites the arrest of a morgue assistant at Mymensingh Medical College in October 2025 following allegations of necrophilia involving the body of a young woman kept for post-mortem.

It also refers to the arrest of a morgue assistant at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in November 2020 on allegations of having sexual intercourse with corpses.

In addition, the petition mentions the case of a morgue attendant in Ohio, United States, who confessed to having sexual relations with female corpses while working at a morgue.

The petitioner argued that appointing female morgue assistants in hospitals conducting post-mortems is necessary to protect the dignity and modesty of deceased women.