Police have arrested a 25-year-old man named Bidhan Das in connection with the deaths of a mother and her 7-year-old daughter in the capital’s Sadarghat area.

According to authorities, the suspect carried out the murders after being pressured into marriage by the woman, Madhuri Biswas, with whom he was having an affair.

The arrest was announced during a press conference held at the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Media Center on Wednesday. Deputy Commissioner Jasim Uddin of the Lalbagh zone provided details of the case.

Bidhan Das, a youth from Dashmina in Patuakhali district, reportedly became involved in a relationship with Madhuri Biswas, wife of Pinku Majumder from Terokhada, Khulna district. The two were introduced after Bidhan obtained her phone number from a mutual friend.

According to police, Madhuri, along with her daughter, Srestha, left Khulna to meet Bidhan and demand marriage. They traveled together to Dhaka by launch. During this journey, Bidhan allegedly executed a premeditated plan to poison both mother and daughter, mixing herbicide into their drinking water, police said.

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Bidhan fled the scene on December 5 after leaving the victims at the terminal, claiming he would return with food. The mother and daughter died while receiving treatment at a hospital.

Twelve days after the crime, police apprehended Bidhan Das from the Khri Angel Dock area in Gazaria, Munshiganj. The arrest followed an investigation into a suspicious death case filed by Madhuri's elder brother, Narayan Biswas, at the Kotwali police station on December 6.

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During interrogation, Bidhan revealed details of the events leading up to the crime, police said.