Jatrabari Flat Murder Raises Looting Suspicions

Police have recovered the blood-stained body of a 68-year-old woman from a flat in Dhaka’s Jatrabari area, with investigators suspecting that she may have been killed during a robbery attempt.

The deceased, identified as Sahida Begum, was found inside a flat on the seventh floor of a seven-storey building in the Rasulpur area of Dhania. Police said their initial assessment suggested that the incident was a murder, possibly carried out by intruders who entered the residence with the intention of stealing valuables.

According to Jatrabari Police Station Sub-Inspector (SI) Rafiqul Islam, police received a call through the national emergency service number 999 at around 10:30pm on Saturday night. Responding to the call, officers reached the flat and found Sahida’s body lying in a pool of blood.

After completing the necessary legal procedures, police sent the body to the mortuary of Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Sunday morning for a post-mortem examination. The autopsy report is expected to provide further details about the nature and timing of the death.

SI Rafiqul said Sahida had been living in the flat, while her daughter-in-law, Sharmin Akter, also stayed there. Sahida’s only son is currently living in Malaysia.

Police said Sharmin told them that she returned home from work on Saturday night and found the flat’s door bolted from the outside. After entering the apartment, she discovered her mother-in-law lying on the floor in a bloodied condition. She noticed injuries on Sahida’s neck, apparently caused by a sharp weapon, and immediately informed the police.

During the initial investigation, police found signs suggesting that the flat had been searched or disturbed. Sharmin reportedly told investigators that Tk 5,000 kept inside the house was missing, along with a pair of gold earrings belonging to Sahida. Household items were also found scattered, strengthening the suspicion that the killing may have been linked to robbery.

Investigators are now working to identify those responsible and determine how the attackers entered and left the flat. Police said several possibilities are being examined, and the actual motive will become clear after a detailed investigation.

A case is being prepared in connection with the incident, while forensic teams and investigators are expected to gather additional evidence from the scene, including possible fingerprints and other clues.

Sahida Begum’s ancestral home was in Brahmanpara upazila of Cumilla. Her husband, Shafiqul Islam, had already passed away. The sudden death of the elderly woman has caused concern among local residents, who are urging authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure greater security in residential areas.