Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-3 have arrested a woman and her daughter in connection with the sensational killing and dismemberment of a Saudi expatriate from Brahmanbaria, whose body was cut into eight pieces and dumped in polythene bags in different areas of Manda in the capital.
The arrested are Helena Begum, 40, daughter of Siddiq Mia, and her middle daughter Halima Akter, 13, daughter of late Sheikh Mohammad Chobed, both residents of Nandarampur under Narsingdi Sadar upazila.
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They were arrested with evidence around 11:45pm on May 17.
According to RAB, the victim, Mokarram Mia, 37, a Saudi expatriate from Brahmanbaria, had a good relationship with another expatriate from the same village, Sumon. Through him, Mokarram became acquainted with Sumon’s wife Taslima Akter Hasna, 31, while both men were in Saudi Arabia.
At one stage, Mokarram and Taslima developed a romantic relationship and regularly communicated via audio and video calls on social media. According to Helena, Mokarram had given Taslima more than Tk 500,000 at different times while staying abroad.
On May 13, Mokarram returned to Bangladesh from Saudi Arabia without informing his family and travelled from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Kamalapur by train before going to meet Taslima at the rented house of her friend Helena in Manda under Mugda Police Station. Helena lived in the one-room house with her two daughters, where Mokarram, Taslima and the others stayed together.
RAB said a dispute arose between Mokarram and Taslima over their relationship. On the night of May 13, Helena allegedly caught Mokarram attempting inappropriate conduct with her minor daughter Halima. Later that night, a quarrel broke out between Mokarram and Taslima over marriage.
When Mokarram insisted on marrying her, Taslima refused. Mokarram then demanded the return of over Tk 500,000 he had given her and Taslima threatened him.
Following the dispute, Taslima and Helena allegedly planned to kill Mokarram. Helena agreed out of anger over the alleged misconduct involving her daughter.
According to the plan, on the morning of May 14, they mixed sleeping pills in water and gave it to Mokarram.
Taking advantage of the situation, Taslima attempted to strike him with a hammer, but Mokarram snatched it and tried to attack her.
Later, Helena struck Mokarram on the neck with a sharp ‘boti’, causing him to fall. Halima then hit him on the head with a hammer. Then make his body 8 parts and threw away them in dust bin in the ground floor but the head threw far from 1km from the house.
However, on the afternoon of May 17, a foul smell from the decomposing body parts drew the attention of locals, who informed police by calling 999. Police recovered the body parts and sent them to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for autopsy after completing legal procedures.
The victim was later identified as Mokarram through fingerprint analysis using his national ID.
RAB said it launched intelligence operations after learning about the incident and arrested the prime accused Helena and her daughter Halima. Based on Helena’s information, the victim’s head was recovered from an area about one kilometre away.
Efforts are underway to arrest another accused, Taslima Akter.
Legal proceedings against the arrested are under process.