Zakia's family in Bangladesh last heard from her on October 30, 2002. She has never been heard from again. She lived in Tukwila, Washington at the time of her disappearance, and worked at a bank in Seattle, Washington. All of her personal belongings, including her clothing, hairbrush, toothbrush, and legal paperwork, were left behind at her home. On November 7, Zakia's silver 2001 Lexus with Washington state license plates numbered 858MCS was found locked and abandoned at a business in an industrial/commercial area of Tukwila. There was no sign of her at the scene.

Zakia had lived with her husband of eleven years, a taxi driver, in the 3000 block of south 154th Street in Seattle/Tacoma until October 11, weeks before her disappearance, when she called 911 to report he had sexually assaulted her. Zakia said she was a victim of longstanding abuse, although this was the first time she had reported it. She sought and received a temporary order of protection against her husband on October 17. She was seeking a permanent order, but disappeared two days before her court date. Zakia's husband is not being called a suspect in her case, but it is worth noting that he gave conflicting accounts of the events leading up to her disappearance. He said he had not seen Zakia since October 12, but a bank teller says they went together to the bank on October 30 and wired $1,500 to Zakia's family in Bangladesh.

Zakia's credit cards have not been used since her disappearance, and neither has her cellular phone, which she had used daily. She had been living in the United States for six years and was looking forward to getting her citizenship and helping other family members move to her adopted country. Investigators have not stated they believe her disappearance was the result of a crime, but they did say they don't believe she left of her own accord. Her case remains unsolved.