Daughter of Slain Sylhet Couple Files Murder Case Alleging Land Dispute Motive
Photo Collected
A murder case has been filed following the discovery of an elderly couple and their domestic worker dead in their residence in the Mitali residential area of Raynagar, Sylhet. Selina Sultana, the victims’ daughter who resides in the United Kingdom, filed the case at the Sylhet Kotwali Police Station late Friday night.
The victims have been identified as 90-year-old Abdus Sattar, his 76-year-old wife Suraiya Begum, and their 20-year-old domestic helper, Tahmina. Police discovered the bodies, all bearing sharp-force injuries, at their residence on Wednesday morning.
In the case statement, the complainant alleged that the murders were a premeditated act carried out by hired assailants, stemming from a long-standing land dispute and persistent threats regarding legal cases. According to the complaint, Abdus Sattar had leased approximately 12 decimals of land in the Sarafpur area of Rikkabibazar in 1997. In 2006, Sirajul Islam, chairman of the real estate firm Impulse Business Limited, claimed ownership of the land through a deed, leading to ongoing disputes and attempts to evict the couple.
Sultana stated that her father filed a lawsuit against Sirajul Islam in 2016, which prompted repeated threats from the accused to drop the litigation. These threats, which allegedly included intimidation at the court premises as recently as July 28 and 30, were reportedly documented in multiple general diaries filed by the victims.
The complainant further detailed an incident on January 29, 2025, when Sirajul Islam and an individual identified as Amin Hossain allegedly visited the victims’ home to pressure them into withdrawing the cases. Sultana maintains that after the murders, various legal documents, copies of police reports, and property deeds were stolen from the residence.
Following the funeral prayers held at the Shahi Eidgah ground on Friday, the couple was buried at the Manik Pir graveyard. Abdus Sattar, a former businessman in Sylhet’s Kalighat and Amberkhana areas, is survived by four children living abroad in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Khan Mohammad Mainul Zakir, the officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station, confirmed that the case has been registered against unknown perpetrators. Police are currently investigating the specific allegations of land disputes as the primary motive for the killings.
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