Naogaon: Police have arrested three close relatives in connection with the killing of four members of the same family in Niamatpur upazila here. Police said the incident was pre-planned out of land dispute. At a press conference held this afternoon at his office, Superintendent of Police Mohammad Tarikul Islam confirmed the arrests. The detainees are Shahidul Islam, husband of the victim Habibur Rahman’s sister Shirin Akhter, their son Shahin Hossain, and nephew Sabuj Rana, son of Habibur’s other sister Halima Khatun. All three are residents of Bahadurpur village.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, police said Sabuj Rana confessed during interrogation, revealing details of the planned killings. Based on his statement, law enforcers recovered the weapons used in the attack-a sickle hidden in a haystack and a knife from a nearby pond. The suspects reportedly admitted they intended to wipe out the entire family to gain full control over Habibur’s property.
Investigators disclosed that the motive stems from a long-standing dispute over land. Habibur’s father, Nomir Uddin, had one son and five daughters and distributed his 17 bighas of land among them. Of this, 13 bighas, including the homestead, were given to Habibur Rahman, while the rest was allocated to his daughters. This unequal distribution triggered tensions between Habibur and his sisters, brothers-in-law, and nephews.
Police said the plan was finalized on Monday afternoon after Habibur returned from Chhatra market, where he had gone with Sabuj Rana carrying Tk 140,000 to buy cattle but came back without making a purchase. Later, six individuals, including the arrested suspects, met at a nearby field and planned the attack. Following the plan, the suspects went to Habibur’s house around 8:00 pm and had dinner with the family. During this time, another accomplice secretly entered the house and hid inside.
After dinner, Sabuj left, and when the family members went to sleep, Shahin opened the main door, allowing Sabuj, Shahidul, and others to enter. They first locked Habibur’s father, Nomir Uddin, inside his room from the outside. The attackers then entered Habibur’s room and slit his throat while he was asleep. His wife, Poppy Sultana, who was in the next room with their two children, came out and was struck on the head with a sickle before also being killed. The attackers then murdered the couple’s two children-Parvez Rahman (10) and Sadia Akter (3)-by slitting their throats, in an apparent attempt to eliminate the entire family. The victims were Habibur Rahman (43), his wife Poppy Sultana, and their two children. The killings took place late Monday night in Bahadurpur village.
Police said that after the incident came to limelight on Tuesday morning, several individuals, including family members, were taken into custody for questioning. Based on interrogation, Sabuj Rana confessed, leading to the arrests and recovery of evidence. A murder case has been filed with Niamatpur Police Station by Moazzem Hossain, father of victim Poppy Sultana, naming unknown individuals as accused. So far, three people have been arrested, and further drive is ongoing.
Tension spread in the areas following news of the arrests. On Wednesday around 10:00 am, angry locals set fire to the house of a relative, Abdus Samad, in Bahadurpur village. No one was inside the house at the time, but parts of the tin-shed structure and household belongings were burned. Officer-in-Charge of Niamatpur Police Station Habibur Rahman said police rushed to the scene and brought the situation under control. Fire service personnel later extinguished the blaze. Police said the investigation is ongoing and more arrests may follow.