Three persons were arrested in separate raids in Khulna and Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area on Friday in a acase filed over the murder of Dr AKM Abdur Rashid, a Bangladeshi-born British citizen.

The arrestees are Md Nayem Khan, 22, Md Zahidur Rahman Rifat, 20, and Md. Abu Taher Sikder, alias Shawon, 22, said Masud Alam Deputy Commissioner (Ramna Division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Saturday.

The suspects were arrested from Dumuria of Khulna, and Mohammadpur on Friday, he said.

During the raids, a knife used in the murder was recovered acting on information provided by Md. Nayem Khan.

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According to Hazaribagh Police, Dr Rashid, who lived in the UK and occasionally visited Bangladesh, resided at House No. 294/1, Road No. 8/A, of West Dhanmondi in Dhaka.

On November 15, around 2:30 am, three to four unknown assailants entered Rashid’s home. They confronted him and engaged in a struggle. When his wife, Sufia Rashid, tried to intervene from the adjacent room, one of the attackers blocked her.

The assailants stabbed Rashid multiple times in the chest, leaving him seriously injured. Later, the attackers fled the scene after Sufia screamed for help.

Rashid was rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital in a critical state, where doctors declared him dead upon arrival, the DMP official said.

Md. Rezaul, Rashid’s cousin, lodged a complaint at Hazaribagh Police Station, leading to the case being filed on the same day.

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During  primary interrogation, the arrestees admitted that Nayem and Zahidur, tenants in a flat at Rashid’s house, had ongoing disputes with the victim’s wife over rent.

Frustrated, Nayem and Zahidur decided to break into Rashid’s home and steal money to fund a restaurant business

.On November 15, 2024, Nayem and Zahidur, along with their accomplice Abu Taher Sikder (Shawon), carried out their plan by scaling the boundary wall to enter the house.

Rashid, who had woken up for Tahajjud prayers, sensed the intruders’ presence.

When Dr. Rashid attempted to intervene, the assailants engaged in a scuffle. They stabbed him with a sharp knife before fleeing the scene.