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The central mortuary cooler at Dhaka Medical College (DMC) has been non-operational for the past week, leading to the storage of bodies on the floor and transport trolleys. This situation is raising serious concerns over decomposition and the potential compromise of forensic evidence. The specialized cooler, capable of preserving up to 40 bodies, requires repairs that authorities indicate will take some time.

In the interim, DMC officials have begun handing over unclaimed bodies to Anjuman Mufidul Islam, an organization responsible for the burial of such corpses. DMC Principal Prof Dr Md Mazharul Shahin confirmed that higher authorities have been notified of the urgent need for repairs. While some unclaimed bodies have already been transferred, five more remain, with plans to hand them over imminently.

Morgue sources indicate the cooler became completely inoperative approximately a week ago. Previously, the morgue relied on five smaller freezers, but these had been unusable for several years before the current cooler was installed. The DMC morgue typically conducts autopsies on five to eight bodies daily. During a recent visit, bodies were observed on the floor in a room adjacent to the Forensic Medicine Department, lacking any cooling system. A morgue staff member, speaking anonymously, expressed fears of rodent infestation and the damage to evidence due to prolonged exposure to ambient temperatures.

The odor from decomposing bodies is also reportedly disrupting academic activities for students in the Forensic Medicine Department. A letter from the department head to the DMC principal highlighted the faulty cooler as an urgent issue requiring immediate attention. However, as of the report's date, the cooler remained out of order.

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The higher authorities have already been informed about the need to repair the cooler.