Ex-husband held over Arifa killing
Detectives have arrested Fokhrul Islam Robin, the lone suspect in the murder of his former wife Arifun Nesa Arifa, an employee of a private bank in the capital.
Robin was held from a distant relative's home in Dhanbari upazila of Tangail early yesterday, said Abdul Baten, joint commissioner of Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
During primary interrogation, Robin confessed to stabbing Arifa in the throat in front of her rented flat in the city's Central Road area on March 16, Baten told a press briefing at the DMP media centre.
Arifa married her childhood friend Robin without her parents' consent and then quickly became disillusioned as she was subjected to abuse and torture. She finally divorced him marriage last year.
Robin had since been pestering her to get back together. But she was firm in her decision, which infuriated him, the victim's elder brother Abdullah Al Amin told The Daily Star.
Arifa had also lodged a general diary with Kalabagan police, expressing concern over her safety soon after the divorce.
A day before the murder, Robin went to meet her at the private bank where she worked and offered to give back her belongings that he had with him, said Baten, quoting Robin.
The next day around 8:45am, he went near Arifa's house with the belongings and met her. There, he again expressed his desire to get back together but Arifa again turned the offer down.
Footage of a CCTV installed near the apartment showed Robin running out of the building exactly at 8:51am.
“Robin claims the murder wasn't preplanned. They had a scuffle and he stabbed her all of a sudden,” said the police official, adding, “We are investigating the matter.”
Meanwhile, a milad mahfil was held at Arifa's parent's home in Jamalpur yesterday. Some of her colleagues and friends from Dhaka joined it.
Talking to The Daily Star, one of her friends, Zinnat, said, “We hope the trial would be over soon and Robin would be given exemplary punishment.”
After being stabbed, Arifa, a former student of Eden College, was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where she died. Before her death, she was able to tell police that her attacker was Robin.
Later, her family, friends and colleagues demonstrated near the Jatiya Press Club, demanding Robin's arrest and punishment.
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