Police have uncovered the circumstances surrounding the murder of Jannatul Ferdous, 28, whose body was found stuffed inside a sack in the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram nearly two and a half months ago. The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) says she was allegedly killed after discovering that her second husband, Raja Mia, also known as Raju, had concealed his first marriage from her.
Two men have been arrested in connection with the case. Investigators say Jannatul was taken on a boat trip under the pretext of going out for leisure, strangled to death and thrown into a canal after her hands and feet were tied.
On Wednesday, 14 October, MKH Jahangir Hossain, Superintendent of Police at PBI Chattogram Metro, disclosed the findings. The arrested men were identified as Md Muslim Uddin, 39, and Shukur Ahmed, 24. Investigators have also recovered and seized the sampan boat allegedly used in the killing.
According to the PBI, Raju had married Jannatul without disclosing that he already had a wife. He reportedly introduced himself as unmarried when they married. However, Jannatul discovered the truth a few days after their wedding, leading to disputes between the couple. Investigators believe the conflict eventually prompted Raju to plan her murder.
Jannatul was from Shilkup Union in Banshkhali upazila of Chattogram district and worked at a shoe factory. After divorcing her first husband, she married Raju on 4 September 2025. She lived with her second husband and her seven-year-old daughter in a rented home in Beparipara, Bahir Signal, under Chandgaon Police Station in Chattogram city.
Murder allegedly planned after failed attempts to resolve the dispute
According to investigators, Raju discussed his plan with an acquaintance, Muslim Uddin. The two later sought help from a traditional healer in the Kalurghat Bridge area, attempting to resolve the problem through rituals and what the PBI described as occult practices. When those efforts failed to settle the dispute, they allegedly decided to kill Jannatul.
Investigators say Raju took Jannatul to Bridgeghat, on the opposite bank of the Karnaphuli River, at around 6pm on 28 July, telling her they were going out together. Muslim Uddin, Shukur Ahmed, who is the brother of Raju’s first wife, and another unidentified man were reportedly waiting there with a sampan boat.
Jannatul and the others boarded the boat, which travelled beneath the Karnaphuli Bridge and entered the Shikalbaha Canal.
According to the PBI’s account, an argument broke out between Raju and Jannatul after 8pm. Raju allegedly took her mobile phone and threw it into the canal before covering her mouth.
At that point, one of the alleged accomplices took a rope and a sack from a bag kept on the boat. Investigators say Jannatul was strangled with the rope and died. Her hands and feet were then tied, and her body was placed inside the sack.
The body was allegedly dumped in the Shikalbaha Canal behind the premises of S Alam Cold Rolled Steels Limited in the Kalarpol area under Karnaphuli Police Station.
Afterwards, the suspects reportedly returned to Bridgeghat in the boat and went into hiding.
Body recovered and murder case filed
On 2 August, at around noon, members of the Sadarghat River Police recovered the body of an unidentified woman from the river near the launch terminal of the Shikalbaha power station. The body was inside a sack, with the hands and feet tied.
Family members later identified the deceased as Jannatul Ferdous, who had been reported missing. Her mother, Chhayra Khatun, subsequently filed a murder case with Karnaphuli Police Station, naming Raju and several unidentified individuals as suspects.
The PBI Chattogram Metro unit took over the investigation on 6 October. Under the supervision and direction of Superintendent of Police MKH Jahangir Hossain, investigating officer Sub-Inspector Abdur Rahim began pursuing leads using information technology and intelligence.
Two suspects arrested in Teknaf
On 13 October, investigators arrested Muslim Uddin, who had allegedly been in hiding in the Teknaf Police Station area. Based on information obtained from him, they subsequently arrested Shukur Ahmed. The sampan allegedly used in the killing was also recovered and seized as evidence.
Jahangir Hossain said Muslim Uddin gave a confessional statement before a court on 14 October under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, describing the killing and acknowledging his alleged involvement, according to the PBI.
Shukur Ahmed is being questioned in police custody, while the investigation remains ongoing. Investigators are working to establish the roles of the other alleged participants and determine whether further evidence or additional suspects can be identified.
The case has highlighted the chain of events that investigators believe began with the concealment of a previous marriage and escalated into a fatal dispute. However, the allegations against the accused remain subject to the judicial process, and their criminal liability will ultimately be determined by the court.
