Jamaat Leader Jailed for Marrying Elderly Woman, Stealing Money and Murdering Her

A court in Lakshmipur has ordered the detention of a local Jamaat-e-Islami official in connection with the financial exploitation and contract murder of an elderly woman.

The presiding judge of the Lakshmipur Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal remanded Abu Bakar Siddique to prison on Monday, 3 August, after rejecting his bail application upon his surrender. Siddique, a resident of Char Shamsuddin village in Kamalnagar upazila, serves as a ‘Rukn’ (member) for the Char Kalkini union unit of Jamaat-e-Islami.

Investigating officers named Siddique in a formal charge sheet following the discovery of Saleha Begum’s body on 16 June 2025 near the Meghna River bank in Kamalnagar. The victim’s daughter, Fatema Begum, initially lodged a murder case against unidentified individuals, prompting a comprehensive investigation by Kamalnagar police.

Police inquiries led to the arrest of a transient worker named Selim, who confessed to carrying out the crime on Siddique’s instructions. In his judicial statement, Selim admitted to bringing Saleha to a secluded homestead on the night of 15 June 2025, where he rendered her unconscious, assaulted her, and strangled her to death before fleeing with her gold jewellery.

Selim revealed that Siddique had secretly married Saleha to access her finances, obtaining BDT 3 million under the pretext of purchasing land. When Siddique demanded an additional BDT 2 million without delivering the property, the relationship fractured. Facing pressure to return the money, Siddique hired Selim for BDT 50,000 to eliminate the victim.

Following Selim’s confession, police submitted a formal charge sheet naming both men. Whilst Selim was placed in custody, Siddique evaded arrest, prompting the tribunal to issue a warrant against him.

Confirming the court’s decision, the plaintiff’s lawyer, Amzad Hossain, stated that Siddique surrendered to seek bail, which was promptly refused given the severity of the charges. The victim’s sons, Sharif Uddin and Ariful Islam, expressed relief at the court’s ruling, alleging that Siddique had married their mother without family knowledge solely to extort her savings. They have called for the death penalty for both accused as the trial proceeds.