A dramatic shift has emerged in the investigation into the gruesome triple murder at a residence in Sylhet’s Raynagar area, as the primary suspect confessed before a magistrate that the killings were triggered by a botched burglary rather than a spurned romantic liaison. Babul Mia, 40, who was arrested shortly after the crimes, admitted in his judicial confession that he carried out the murders single-handedly after being caught in the act of theft while attempting to raise money for overdue house rent.
The confession was recorded on Thursday evening under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Farhana Sultana. Syed Mahbubur Rahman, Court Inspector in Sylhet, confirmed that the accused formally acknowledged his guilt during the two-hour proceedings, following which the court remanded him to judicial custody in Sylhet Central Jail.
The killings took place on the morning of 12 August at “Nikunja Villa”, a residence in the Mitali residential quarter of Raynagar. The victims were identified as 82-year-old retired businessman and former director of the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mohammad Abdus Sattar, his 76-year-old wife Suraiya Begum, and their 25-year-old domestic helper Tahmina Begum. Mr Sattar had also served as an adviser to the Ward 19 unit of the Sylhet Metropolitan Awami League and was previously involved in the regional coal trade.
Initial police briefings had suggested that Babul had entered the house through personal acquaintance with Tahmina and attacked the household following a rejected romantic advance. Investigators subsequently revised this account after extensive questioning during a four-day police remand granted on 16 August.
According to police sources familiar with the deposition, Babul recounted that his landlord had threatened him with eviction the previous evening over unpaid rent. Pressured to obtain cash quickly, he targeted Nikunja Villa, believing substantial sums of money were kept on the premises. Aware that security cameras monitored the main staircase, Babul scaled the balcony at around 9:25 am and entered through an unlocked door.
Once inside, he was unexpectedly confronted by Tahmina. When the young woman attempted to flee, Babul seized her from behind and inflicted multiple stab wounds to silence her. Alerted by the commotion, Suraiya Begum rushed from an adjoining bedroom and attempted to physically restrain the intruder. Babul struck backwards blindly, slashing her across the throat before fatally stabbing her as she collapsed. Moments later, he overpowered and killed Abdus Sattar in a similar manner.
Following the killings, Babul washed away bloodstains in the bathroom and ransacked an inner room, finding 15,000 taka in 500-taka banknotes. He abandoned plans to search for additional valuables and fled back across the balcony after hearing an internal telephone ring alongside voices near the main entrance.
Law enforcement officers tracked and detained Babul from a residential colony in Raynagar Rajbari within hours of the discovery, later recovering the bloodstained knife used in the attack from a location he disclosed. A formal murder case was registered at Kotwali Model Police Station following a complaint by the victims’ expatriate daughter, Selina Sultana.
