A woman was stabbed to death allegedly by her husband in the capital's Pallabi area early yesterday.

The dead -- Umama Begum Kanak, 40, wife of Omar Faruk, a former Japan expatriate -- was a member of the Awami League's relief and social welfare sub-committee.

The incident took place around 12:30am at their house in Mirpur DOHS following a quarrel over several issues, Kazi Wazed Ali, officer-in-charge of Pallabi Police Station, said.

Police detained Faruk following the murder, he added.

Victim's sister Ruma Akter said Faruk returned from Japan a couple of years ago and since then was not doing anything in the country.

This frustrated Kanak, mother of two, leading to altercations with him at times.

Following one such altercation, Faruk stabbed his wife with a kitchen knife, leaving her critically injured.

Kanak, also a former BCL leader, was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared her dead around 5:30am, she said.

The OC of Pallabi Police Station said Faruk, during primary interrogation, admitted that he stabbed his wife.

Police sources said they initially found that the victim gave money that Faruk earned in Japan to one of her relatives who was dilly-dallying to pay them back.

Besides, Faruk was putting pressure on his wife to transfer her share of the flat, owned jointly by the couple, to him as he paid the money.

The body was sent to hospital morgue for autopsy.