Nine-year-old Nusrat Jahan was killed as she witnessed her father’s murder in Dhaka’s North Badda area last Thursday, investigators claimed today. 

Police found the girl and her 38-year-old father Jamil Sheikh dead while Arzina Begum and the couple’s 5-year-old son sitting on the stairs inside their house.

“Arzina Begum caught her daughter Nusrat’s hand tight when her boyfriend Shahin Malik, ensured Nusrat’s death by suffocating her with a pillow,” Mostaq Ahmed, deputy commissioner (Gulshan division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said while addressing a briefing at the DMP media centre.

Arzina Begum who has allegedly killed her husband and daughter in association with her boyfriend Shahin Malik. Photo: Star/ Rafiul Islam

The girl witnessed how her mother in association with Shahin killed her father Jamil Sheikh by hitting with a wooden staff in his head, the police official said adding that it was her main fault.

“Arzina and Shahin killed Jamil and Nusrat to remove barriers on the way of their extra-marital affairs,” the DC said.

Jamil’s brother Shamim Sheikh has filed a murder case with Badda police accusing Arjina and Shahin.

Police detained Arzina on Thursday while Shahin, a construction worker and his wife Masuma, a domestic help, from Khulna on Friday.

Shahin with his wife used to live as sublet tenant in the same flat, where Jamil and Arzina were living with two children Nusrat and Alvi, 5.

Arzina were engaged in extra-marital affairs for last four months with Shahin and they used to spend time when Jamil and Masuma went out of home for work, said Mostaq.

“Since then Arzina used to engage in feud with Jamil over trifling matters as she wanted to go away and start a new life with Shahin,” he said, adding Arzina also stayed in her parents’ house in Savar for two months after clash with Jamil.

Jamil was totally unaware of Arzina’s relation and brought her back again. At last, both Shahin and Arzian decided to kill Jamil and settle some at other place after marrying each other, he said.

Shahin Malik held in connection with Badda double murder. Photo: Star/ Rafiul Islam

On the day of incident, Jamil was sleeping with his two children. Arzina opened the door to let Shahin into their room and Shahin hit Jamil on the head with a wooden staff, said DC Mostaq.

At the time, Jamil woke up and asked him “why you are attacking me” but Shahin hit him again to ensure his death, said DC Mostaq.

Then, Jamil's daughter Nusrat woke up and asked why her father was being attacked, said Mostaq, adding that “Arjina then took Nusrat outside as they had not planed to kill her.”

Arjina and Shahin, however, decided to murder Nusrat later as she witnessed the incident. At first, Arjina did not agree to kill Nusrat, but later switched her mind to save herself, the police official said.

“Jamil and Arjina's son Alvi also woke up hearing the noise, but he was saved as he fell asleep immediately.”

DC Mostaq further said they believe Shahin's wife Masuma, who was in another room in the same flat during the killings, was not aware of the plan to murder. She came to know it after the murders took place and fled to Khulna to save her husband, he said.