United News of Bangladesh

What began as a routine search for a missing sum of money spiralled into a shocking double murder inside a Mohammadpur flat, a crime that investigators say was rooted in a heated altercation between a housewife and the domestic worker she had employed only three days earlier! Police have arrested the housemaid, Ayesha, and her husband, Rabbi, from Nalcity in Jhalakathi, ending their frantic run across districts following the killings. The case has since unfolded as a chilling account of deception, theft and unverified domestic employment. Read more: Mohammadpur Murders: Chilling details emerge as hunt for domestic help intensifies Tracked Down Through an Old Police Record At a briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Thursday noon, Additional Commissioner of DMP SN Nazrul Islam revealed how investigators identified Ayesha. A crucial breakthrough came from an old record at Mohammadpur Police Station, a file containing her photograph, marked by burn scars on her face. This small but telling clue led police to the Geneva Camp, where she was already known for theft-related activities. Nazrul Islam said Ayesha had a long history of stealing from the homes where she worked. She routinely concealed her identity, avoided using a mobile phone, provided no address and kept her face veiled, making it difficult for employers to identify her later. In July, she allegedly stole Tk 8,000 from a residence, prompting the filing of a general diary at Mohammadpur Police Station. She has also been accused of stealing from her sister’s home. Read more: Mohammadpur double murder: Maid disguised herself in victim’s school uniform to flee A Husband Drawn into the Trail Investigators traced Rabbi after learning that Ayesha had once handed him her damaged mobile phone for repair. That allowed police to track the SIM card previously used in the device. Teams then conducted a series of raids — in Hemayetpur of Savar, Mohammadpur, Patuakhali’s Naluya, and finally in a village in Nalchity of Jhalakathi — where the couple were arrested around 12:30 pm on Wednesday. A stolen laptop was recovered from their room. Police say Ayesha has confessed to the murders. Three Days of Work, A Deadly Climax Ayesha joined the victims’ household only three days before the incident. Throughout her time there, she kept her face covered, preventing anyone from recognising her clearly. Read more: Domestic help sued over Mohammadpur double murder On the second day, she allegedly stole Tk 2,000, triggering an argument with the housewife, Laila Afrooz. On the third day, Ayesha returned with a switch-gear knife. Another confrontation broke out over the missing money — and this time, the dispute turned fatal. According to police, Ayesha stabbed Laila. When Laila’s daughter, Nafisa, tried to intervene, she too was stabbed to death. In her escape, Ayesha wore Nafisa’s school uniform and fled the apartment, taking with her a laptop, a mobile phone and other valuables. She later changed her clothes at her mother’s home in Savar, before travelling to Manikganj, where she disposed of the school uniform and blood-stained clothing in the Singair River. A Call for Vigilance The Additional Commissioner has urged city residents to verify the identity and background of any domestic worker before employing them, stressing that structured records and proper documentation could prevent similar tragedies in the future. Read more: Mohammadpur Murders: Domestic help finally arrested after days on the run

Police on Wednesday (December 10, 2025) arrested Ayesha, the young domestic help who had been working at the flat for only four days, in connection with the murders. She was detained during a drive in Nalchity upazila of Jhalakathi around 1pm, said Abdullah Al Mamun, Assistant Commissioner (Mohammadpur zone) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police under the Tejgaon Division. The victims—Layla Afroz, 48, and her daughter, Nafisa Binte Aziz, 15—were found dead hours earlier by Layla’s husband, AZM Azizul Islam, who rushed home after failing to reach them. Read more: Mother, daughter found dead at Mohammadpur flat He filed a case with Mohammadpur Police Station that same night, launching an investigation now centred on the young domestic worker who had recently entered their lives. A Young Helper With Troubled Past According to the case statement, Ayesha had only just begun part-time work at the family’s flat. Police said that she originally hailed from Rangpur but had been staying with an uncle and aunt at Geneva Camp after reportedly losing both her parents in a fire—details that paint a portrait of a vulnerable girl navigating an uncertain life in the capital. Chilling Movements Captured on CCTV Investigators say building CCTV footage has emerged as a crucial piece of evidence. At 7:51am on Monday, Ayesha was seen entering the premises dressed in a burqa. Less than two hours later, at 9:35am, she appeared again—this time in the school uniform of Nafisa, wearing a mask and carrying the teenager’s school bag as she exited the building. Read more: Domestic help sued over Mohammadpur double murder The change of clothing and hurried departure have deepened suspicions about her role in the killings. Missing Valuables, Possible Motive The complainant told police that several items—including a mobile phone, laptop and gold jewellery—were missing from the flat. Investigators say the disappearance of valuables suggests that burglary may have been a motive, though the brutality of the killings points to a crime far more complex. Arrest in Jhalakathi Raises Questions Why Ayesha travelled to Nalchity upazila and who, if anyone, helped her flee remain part of the ongoing inquiry. Her arrest marks a significant breakthrough, but police say they are now focused on retracing her steps between the time she left the flat and her eventual capture. Read more: Mohammadpur Murders: Chilling details emerge as hunt for domestic help intensifies