United News of Bangladesh

Police have arrested the prime suspect and uncovered the motives behind the gruesome murder of Ashraful Haque, whose dismembered body was found inside two plastic drums near the High Court adjacent to the National Eidgah on Thursday in the capital. The arrested suspect has been identified as Mohammad Zarezul Islam, 39, according to the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police. DB officials said Ashraful Haque, 44, was a trader of onion and garlic at Hili land port in Dinajpur. On the night of November 11, Ashraful travelled from Rangpur to Dhaka with his friend Zarezul. After reaching Dhaka, Ashraful’s mobile phone was found switched off. On the evening of November 13, Shahbagh Police recovered 26 pieces of a dismembered body from two drums placed near the gate of the National Eidgah. Fingerprint analysis confirmed the identity of the victim, and his sister later identified the body at the morgue. A murder case was subsequently filed with Shahbagh Police Station. Following the incident, the DB launched a shadow investigation. Through CCTV footage analysis and technological tracking, investigators identified the movements of those involved. On Friday, November 14, DB personnel conducted a raid in Daudkandi of Cumilla and arrested Zarezul. Based on his information, a machete used in the killing was recovered from Sayedabad bus terminal, along with scotch tape and a hammer from a rented house. Briefing reporters at the DMP Media Centre on Saturday noon, Additional Commissioner (DB) Mohammad Shafiqul Islam stated that Zarezul, a Malaysia expatriate, had returned home about one and a half months ago. While abroad, he developed a relationship via the Bigo Live app with a woman named Shamima Islam from Cumilla. After Zarezul returned home, his wife discovered the affair, leading to marital tensions. She then sought help from Ashraful, giving him Shamima’s number in an attempt to dissuade Zarezul from the relationship. Instead, Ashraful himself became involved with Shamima. Trusted friend turns killer: How Jarez orchestrated trader Ashraful’s murder According to preliminary findings, Ashraful had promised to arrange Tk 14 lakh to send his friend Zarezul to Japan, of which Shamima was supposed to contribute Tk 7 lakh. In anticipation of the money and to meet in private, they travelled to Dhaka. They rented a house in Bank Colony under Demra Police Station on the afternoon of November 12, cleaned the residence together, and purchased basic household items including a mattress, pillows, and curtains. Police said the three engaged in physical relations mutually, but an altercation broke out when Ashraful insisted on unnatural acts with Shamima, which she refused. As she began crying, Zarezul became angry. Shamima then tied Ashraful’s hands under the pretext of the act. When Ashraful persisted, Zarezul struck him with a hammer. As Ashraful screamed, Shamima tied him with her scarf and scotch tape. Ashraful died from the assault and suffocation. Panicked after the killing, the duo stayed in the house with the body throughout the night. The next morning, they bought two plastic drums, polythene sheets, and a machete from local shops. In the bathroom, with the water tap running, Zarezul dismembered the body while Shamima assisted. They packed the remains into the drums and later hired a CNG-run autorickshaw. On November 13, they abandoned the drums on the footpath near the High Court water pump on the National Eidgah and quickly returned home. After collecting their belongings, Shamima left for Cumilla, while Zarezul initially planned to head to Rangpur but later travelled to a friend’s house in Cumilla, where DB personnel arrested him. Police say the investigation is ongoing, and legal action against those involved is underway. Meanwhile, RAB earlier said at a press briefing on Saturday morning that after the arrest of Zarezul’s girlfriend, Shamima Akhter, it was learned that Zarezul had planned to extort Tk 1 million from Ashraful by using her to lure him into a trap. Shamima told RAB that, under that plan, Ashraful was brought to Dhaka. However, it still remains unclear why he was killed instead of extracting the money. Read more: ‘Extramarital affair’ led to trader Ashraful’s murder: DB, RAB

Rangpur trader Ashraful Haque was allegedly lured to his death by his friend Jarez, who then killed and dismembered him in a planned manner, said Lt Col Fayezul Arefin, commanding officer of RAB-3. “The brutal killing was the result of a calculated plot carried out under the guise of friendship,” he told a press briefing in the capital’s Karwan Bazar after the interrogation of Jarez and his girlfriend Shamima following their arrest in connection with Ashraful’s murder. Following Jarez’s instructions, Shamima lured Ashraful into a romantic trap through phone communication over a month ago and brought him from Rangpur to Dhaka. The CO of Rab-3 said the trio met on November 12 at a rented house in Nurpur area of Shanir Akhra where Shamima mixed sleeping pills into a drink, leaving Ashraful unconscious. Jarez then recorded intimate footage of Shamima and Ashraful as part of an extortion plan. Once Ashraful was fully incapacitated, Jarez tied his hands, sealed his mouth with tape and struck him repeatedly with a hammer, killing him through the blows and suffocation, said the RAB official. The Rab Commander said the body was left in the room overnight while Jarez and Shamima stayed there. The following day, Thursday, they purchased a machete and dismembered Ashraful’s body into 26 pieces, stuffing the remains into two drums, said the RAB official. They later transported the drums by CNG-run auto-rickshaw and abandoned them under a large tree near the High Court’s National Eidgah water pump area before fleeing. During questioning, Shamima claimed she tried to stop the killing but she was assaulted by Jarez. Read more: ‘Extramarital affair’ led to trader Ashraful’s murder: DB, RAB She also said Jarez had planned to flee the country to Malaysia and arrangements for a passport were underway for Jarez. Shamima told RAB that they had planned to extort Tk 10 lakh from Ashraful using the intimate video. Based on Shamima’s information, RAB recovered bloodstained clothing, ropes, tape and other items used in the murder from the Nurpur area of Shanir Akhra. Lt Col Arefin said although the suspects cited extortion as the motive, “the level of brutality suggests there may be more behind the crime and further interrogation of Jarez would clarify the real motive.” Ashraful Haque’s dismembered body was found stuffed into two drums and dumped beside the National Eidgah ground on Thursday.  Read more: Woman’s throat-slit body found in Gazipur; husband critically injured

‘Extramarital affair’ was behind the murder of trader Ashraful Haque, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). Law enforcement agencies arrested two suspects on Friday (November 14) in connection with the murder, said DC (media) of DMP Talebur Rahman. Ashraful’s body — cut into 26 pieces — was recovered from two drums dumped near the National Eidgah ground in Dhaka on Thursday afternoon. Police arrested prime suspect Jorejul Islam from Daudkandi in Cumilla. Dismembered body found in plastic drum near National Eidgah in Dhaka RAB-3 members arrested  Shamima, identified as Jorejul’s lover and a key accomplice. She was arrested along with evidence related to the disposal of the body, it said. Investigators found that Jorejul had been engaged in an extramarital relationship which led to a conflict that ended in Ashraful’s killing, said DB and RAB sources. According to DB officials, the murder was pre-planned. After killing Ashraful, the killers cut the body into 26 pieces, placed them in two drums and later dumped them beside the National Eidgah, they said. Both agencies said further details on the arrests and the investigation will be shared on Saturday. Read more: Woman’s throat-slit body found in Gazipur; husband critically injured

A 35-year-old woman was found dead with her throat slit while her husband severely injured at their house in Konabari area of Gazipur district on Saturday (November 15). The deceased was identified as Rahima Khatun, a garment worker while the injured was identified as Emran Hossain, 40, a butcher by profession and son of Suruj Ali of Mymensingh district. Read more: 3 buses set on fire in Gazipur Officer-in-Charge of Konabari Police Station Md Salauddin said the couple along with their daughter used to live at a rented house on the fifth floor of ‘Ekota Villa’ in Nawab Ali Market area of Konabari. Police said Emran might have cut the throat of his wife with a sharp weapon and then attempted to take his own life by cutting his own throat over a family feud. On information, police recovered the body and sent it to the local hospital morgue. Emran was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Read more: Father, daughter killed in their sleep in Mymensingh

A sleepy night in Haluaghat upazila of Mymensingh turned into a scene of horror and grief on Tuesday (11th November 2025) when miscreants killed a father and his minor daughter by slitting-throat after entering their house. The victims-Ratan Mia, 32, and his 7-year-old daughter Nuria Akter, were found dead at their home in Amir Khan Kura village of Baghaitala union around 3am Tuesday. Quoting locals, police said Ratan, a garment worker by profession, had gone to sleep after dinner when assistants entered the house between 2am to 3am. The attackers slaughtered Ratan and his daughter, said police. Read more: Physically-challenged schoolboy among 2 killed in road crashes Besides, the miscreants attempted to slaughter Ratan’s wife Julekha Akter but failed due to her screaming.  She is now undergoing treatment at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH). Officer-in-charge Hafizur Rahman of Haluaghat Police Station said on information in the morning they recovered the bodies from the scene and sent them to the MMCH for autopsy. Several teams visited the spot and are working to unveil the reason behind the murder, he said. On July 14 this year, a 25-year-old mother and her seven-year-old daughter were killed by slitting their throats at their house in Bhaluka upazila of the district. Read more: Daylight Murder in Dhaka: Police call slain Mamun a top-listed criminal

A 25-year-old man was killed in broad daylight by unidentified miscreants in South Keraniganj of Dhaka on Saturday. The victim, Sagir, was the son of Amir Hossain of Subhadya Uttarpara. He worked as a salesman at a clothing shop in the city’s Islampur area. Syed Muhammad Akhtar Hossain, officer-in-charge of South Keraniganj Police Station, said the incident took place around 9:30 am on Saturday in front of Sudhar’s house in the Chunkutiya Nazirerbagh area. The miscreants slit Sagir’s throat with a sharp weapon and fled the scene. Auto-rickshaw driver killed by muggers in Kamrangirchar Locals discovered the body on the road and informed the police. Upon receiving the information, police recovered the body around 2:00 pm and sent it to the Mitford Hospital morgue. Sagir’s family said he got married eight years ago and had a six-year-old daughter. According to the family, the killing was allegedly linked to an extramarital affair, as Sagir had divorced his wife over her alleged relationship with another man. Police are preparing to file a murder case in this regard, added the OC.

A deep sense of horror and grief has gripped the quiet village of Islampur West Para in Bogura’s Sadar upazila, after the throat-slit bodies of an elderly woman and her granddaughter-in-law were recovered from their home on Wednesday night. The victims, Lily Bewa, 80, wife of Abdul Quddus, and Habiba Yeasmin, 21, wife of Parvez Islam, were both found lying in a pool of blood inside the family home. Another third family member, Bonnya, 15, a promising young girl who had just passed her SSC examination, was also seriously injured in the attack. She is now fighting for her life at the Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College and Hospital. It was around 9pm when Bonnya, bleeding and barely able to walk, stumbled out of the house in sheer agony.  Her cries for help pierced the night. Locals, alerted by her desperate screams, rushed in and were confronted with a scene of unspeakable horror. Main accused in Mitford murder case finally arrested in Patuakhali Abu Sufian, additional superintendent of Bogura Police, quoted witnesses saying that Bonnya was in a state of distress, having been stabbed. It was then that neighbours discovered the lifeless bodies of Lily and Habiba. The two women had likely been attacked while they were alone in the house, with no male family members present at the time. The air now hangs heavy in Islampur West Para, as family members and neighbours struggle to make sense of the senseless brutality. A once peaceful home has become a crime scene. Another arrested in Mitford Sohag murder case The family of the deceased have pointed fingers at a neighbour—Saikat Islam—who, they claim, had been troubling Bonnya for some time. According to them, Saikat had developed a romantic relationship with Bonnya. But, under family pressure, the relationship came to an end after Saikat was found to be addicted to drugs. Since then, he had reportedly continued to harass Bonnya and had even pressured her family into accepting a marriage proposal. The killing, they believe, was a cruel retaliation born out of this failed relationship and refusal. “Efforts are on to arrest the attackers involved in the killing,” police said, though no one has yet been taken into custody.

Three affiliated organisations of BNP—Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal and Chhatra Dal—on Saturday raised questions and doubts over the failure to arrest the main accused in the brutal killing of a scrap trader in front of Mitford Hospital and the alleged exclusion of three key suspects from the case. “Those who were directly involved in the murder, clearly visible in CCTV and video footage, were surprisingly not made the main accused in the case. Even the individuals who carried out the fatal attack have not been arrested yet. We fail to understand the reason behind it,” said Jubo Dal President Abdul Monayem Munna. He made the remarks while addressing an emergency press conference organised by Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal and Chhatra Dal at the BNP’s Nayapaltan central office. Referring to a media reports, he said the daughter of the plaintiff in the case alleged that police excluded three people directly involved in the killing and instead included three innocent individuals in the case. “More than 60 hours have passed since the incident, but despite having clear evidence of the murder, the main killers have not yet been arrested… This is a big question and a mystery,” Munna said. He said they want to know through the media who included the names of three apparently innocent people in the case and why, while excluding the real offenders. “The incident happened on Wednesday, but it was widely circulated on Friday. Why was there a delay of two days? Who was behind it must also be investigated. We don’t know whether any quarter did it to implement an agenda, but we suspect it,” Munna said. The Jubo Dal chief called upon law enforcement agencies to take proper action through an investigation into the incident. Munna said they could not identify any of the assailants shown in the video as affiliated with Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal or Swechchhasebak Dal. He, however, said they expelled five leaders and activists of the three organisations as they were made accused in the case. Earlier on Wednesday, a scrap trader named Mohammad Shohagh was killed in broad daylight in front of Mitford Hospital in Old Dhaka. Video footage of the brutal killing went viral on social media on Friday, sparking public outrage. Police on Friday said four people were arrested in connection with the murder. That same night, Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal and Swechchhasebak Dal expelled five of their members for life over the incident. At the press conference, Munna said, “We are very worried over the overall law and order situation in the country. Mohammad Shohagh, a trader and Jubo Dal activist under Chawkbazar Thana in the capital, was brutally killed by being hit with a stone in broad daylight. The entire nation is shocked to witness this brutal barbarity.” He strongly condemned and protested the atrocious murder. “In this era of civilisation, we cannot accept such primitive barbarity in any way.” The Jubo Dal President said they expelled five people from the three organisations for life as their names surfaced as instigators and defendants in the case. ‘Regrettable and brutal’: Home Adviser about Mitford murder “We have already called upon law enforcement agencies to arrest them immediately and bring them to justice. We have taken all necessary measures from the perspective of organisational responsibility and accountability,” he said.  Munna said whenever complaints were raised against their party members in recent months, they took immediate action. “Several thousand leaders and workers have been expelled from the BNP and its different organisations. We did not avoid responsibility but took strong steps.” He, however, questioned whether the government and authorities have taken proper legal action against the real offenders. “Given the current situation, we believe there is no option but for the government and law enforcement agencies to act firmly. Please take effective steps to improve law and order. If you need any kind of help from us, we are always ready to provide it,” the Jubo Dal leader said. Munna also urged the country’s people to stay alert so that no opportunistic or anti-democratic group could take advantage of the current unstable situation. He said the law and order situation in the country has not improved, and even basic public safety is not being ensured. The Jubo Dal leader also pointed to violent incidents, including the brutal killing of an expelled Jubo Dal leader in Khulna and an attack on a Khatib in Chandpur. He blamed a particular group with a long history of violent politics. He said the Jubo Dal leader in Khulna was killed by being shot and then having his tendon cut. “Everyone knows who used to cut tendons,” he added. Munna alleged that a certain opportunistic group is making selective, politically motivated protests and giving provocative and offensive statements against BNP and its affiliated organisations. He said BNP has urged the government many times to arrest the real culprits, but the authorities have failed to do so. The Jubo Dal leader suggested that this failure might be intentional, to create unrest and delay the much-awaited national election. Munna also claimed that a vested group does not want democratic elections and is provoking violence against BNP leaders. He said a recent survey, published last week, showed strong support for BNP among the youth, especially regarding the upcoming national election.

Students from various universities, including Dhaka University,  Buet, Jagannath University (JnU) and Jahangirnagar University (JU) staged demonstrations on Friday night protesting the brutal killing of a trader in front of Sir Salimullah Medical College (Mitford) Hospital in the old part of the capital. Several hundred students of Jagannath University (JnU) brought out a procession from Shaheed Minar on the campus around 9 pm. The procession ended at Bhasa Shahid Rafiq Bhaban after parading through Roy Shaheb Bazar, TantiBazar, Nayabazar and Mitford Hospital. The protesters demanded speedy trial of the killing. Trader’s killing at Mitford shows serious failure in public safety: Fakhrul Md. Nur Nabi, joint coordinator of Bangladesh Democratic Student Union Central unit and an Islamic Studies student at JnU, said, “That stone wasn’t just thrown at my brother—it hit all our chests. What happened at Mitford mirrors the murder of Biswajit by the Chhatra League.” Besides, the students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) under the banner of “Anti-Terror Unity” brought out a procession from the Bot Tola area around 9:30pm. The procession paraded several key points on the campus before returning to its starting point for a protest rally. Arifuzzaman Uzzal, coordinator of the JU chapter of the Democratic Students’ Union, said, “BNP and its affiliated organisations are responsible for a wave of killings, rapes and extortion across the country. If they stand against people, we will stand against them as we did in July.” Mohammed Sohag, 39, was hacked and beaten to death in broad daylight at the hospital gate on Wednesday (July 9). Jubo Dal expels 2 leaders over murder in Old Dhaka  Shohag’s family later filed a case, naming several accused including  two Jubo Dal leaders. Police arrested four accused including Mahmudul Hasan Mohin, 41, and Tarek Rahman Robin, 22 in this connection. Later, a Dhaka court on Saturday placed them on a 5-day remand in connection with the murder. Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal on Friday expelled two of its leaders for life following the murder. The expelled leaders are Jubo Dal’s former Climate Affairs Assistant Secretary Razzab Ali Pintu and its Dhaka South City unit Joint Convener Sabah Karim Lucky. In a statement, Jubo Dal President Abdul Monayem Munna and General Secretary Nurul Islam Nayan said the two have been expelled from all posts, including primary membership, for life.   

 A Dhaka court has granted five days' remand each for two youths arrested in connection with the murder of a businessman in front of Gate-3 of Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital, popularly known by its Colonial era name- Mitford Hospital. The arrestees were identified as Mahmudul Hasan Mohin, 41, and Tarek Rahman Robin, 22. Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Talebur Rahman confirmed the development. Earlier, DMP arrested the two accused with weapons shortly after the incident. Subsequently, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) detained two more individuals in connection with the same case. On the afternoon of July 9 (Wednesday), a group of assailants brutally attacked local businessman Lal Chand, alias Sohag, aged 39, on the pavement in front of Gate-3 of the hospital, leading to his death. Responding swiftly to the incident, police from Kotwali Police Station arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control. Law enforcement prepared an inquest report and sent the body to the hospital morgue for autopsy. Following the incident, the victim’s elder sister filed a murder case at Kotwali Police Station. Police collected CCTV footage from the crime scene and launched raids across various areas in the capital, ultimately arresting the two named accused, Mohin and Robin. During the arrest, a foreign-made pistol was recovered from Robin's possession. Initial investigations suggest that the killing resulted from a business dispute and prior enmity. Authorities are continuing operations to arrest others involved and to uncover the full motive behind the murder. Legal proceedings against the arrestees are currently underway.