Barisal Arrest in Khulna Triple Murder

The arrest of the principal suspect in the widely publicised killing of a grandmother and her two grandsons in Khulna has been described by investigators as a significant development in the ongoing murder investigation. Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) detained Rafiqul Islam Hawlader during a joint operation in Barisal on Thursday night after he had reportedly remained on the run since the incident.

According to a statement issued by RAB-6 headquarters, the operation was conducted in the Kashipur area under Barisal Kotwali Police Station. Acting on intelligence information, a joint team comprising personnel from RAB-6 Headquarters Company and RAB-8 located and arrested the suspect, who had been named as the principal accused in the triple murder case filed with Sonadanga Police Station in Khulna. Following his arrest, he was handed over to the police after the completion of the necessary legal formalities.

The murders came to light on 30 May when law enforcement officers recovered the bodies of Baby Begum, 55, and her two grandsons, Shamim Byapari, 13, and Mustakim, 4, from a rented house in the Darus Aman neighbourhood on Tamizuddin Road in Khulna city. The discovery shocked local residents and generated widespread public concern because of the brutality of the killings and the fact that three members of the same family had been targeted.

Preliminary findings from investigators suggested that Baby Begum had been killed with a sharp weapon, suffering a fatal throat injury. The two children were believed to have been strangled. The differing methods of killing have become an important focus of the investigation as detectives seek to reconstruct the sequence of events.

Victims and Preliminary Findings

Police and local sources reported that neighbours became suspicious after a foul smell began emanating from one of the rooms in the house. Officers responding to the report initially recovered the bodies of Baby Begum and Shamim from a room inside the residence. At first, the younger child, Mustakim, was believed to be missing. However, a subsequent search led investigators to a locked wardrobe inside the room. After breaking it open, officers discovered the child’s body concealed within.

Following the recovery of the bodies, members of the Detective Branch (DB) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) visited the scene to collect forensic evidence. Various samples and physical exhibits were gathered and sent for examination in an effort to identify all those involved and determine the precise circumstances surrounding the killings.

The day after the bodies were found, the father of the two children, Masum Byapari, filed a murder case with Sonadanga Police Station. In the complaint, he stated that he had divorced his first wife, Fatema Begum, approximately four years ago following family disputes. Fatema later married truck driver Rafiqul Islam Hawlader.

According to the case statement, Baby Begum strongly opposed the marriage and tensions between the families persisted for years. It was further alleged that she had objected to Rafiqul visiting the house. Investigators believe this long-standing family conflict may have played a central role in the events leading up to the murders.

The case documents allege that sometime between the night of 29 May and the early hours of 30 May, Rafiqul Islam, accompanied by several unidentified associates, entered the residence, killed Baby Begum and the two children, and fled the area.

With the arrest of the principal suspect, investigators are now expected to focus on detailed questioning, forensic analysis, and efforts to identify any accomplices who may have participated in the crime. Law enforcement officials hope that the latest breakthrough will help establish a complete account of the killings and strengthen the prosecution’s case as the investigation progresses.