Two Suspects Confess to Murder of Van Driver in Ashulia for Vehicle Theft

Two suspects have confessed to the murder of 29-year-old van driver Sujan Howlader, whose body was discovered beneath the Elevated Expressway in Ashulia, Savar. The accused, identified as Md. Maruf, 39, and Tanvir Dhali Akash, 22, provided their statements before Senior Judicial Magistrate Tajul Islam Sohag on Wednesday. Following the proceedings, the court ordered both men to be remanded in custody.

Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Md. Khayer of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) prosecution department confirmed the development on Thursday. The investigation into the August 8 killing is being led by Inspector Jamal Uddin of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), following a case filed by the victim’s mother, Alo Begum, on August 11.

According to police, Sujan Howlader, a resident of the Hasanabad area in South Keraniganj, went missing on the night of August 8. His body was recovered near pillar number 81 of the Ashulia Elevated Expressway on August 10. Investigators believe the motive for the murder was the theft of the victim’s battery-operated van, which he had purchased less than a month prior.

In his confession, Maruf stated that he and the victim had traveled from Keraniganj to Gazipur’s Kashimpur to transport goods before heading toward Lalbagh. When their van broke down near the Ashulia bridge on the morning of August 9, they sought shelter under the expressway. Maruf admitted that while Sujan was sleeping after consuming narcotics, he struck the victim in the head with a stone and subsequently slit his throat with a machete to ensure his death. He then discarded the weapon in a nearby patch of water hyacinths.

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Following the murder, Maruf fled with the stolen van, intending to sell it to Tanvir Dhali Akash for 90,000 taka. Both suspects were arrested on August 11 near an Ansar camp in Madaripur, where authorities recovered the stolen van and the victim’s mobile phone. Inspector Jamal Uddin confirmed that while Maruf committed the homicide, Akash was apprehended as the intended buyer of the stolen vehicle.

The victim’s family, including his mother Alo Begum and wife Masuda Akter, have expressed their grief and confusion, stating that Sujan had no known enemies and worked diligently to support his two children. Investigations remain ongoing.