PBI arrests 2 for murder of TBS journalist’s mother in Tangail

Members of Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) have arrested two people in connection with the murder of Sultana Suraiya, the mother of English daily The Business Standard's journalist Abu Sayem Akand, in Tangail's Bhuapur upazila.

The arrestees are Al Amin Akand, 22, neighbor and relative of the deceased, and Md Labu, 29, reports our local correspondent quoting Mohammad Siraj Amin, superintendent of Tangail PBI.

Sultana Suraiya, 65, wife of late freedom fighter Abdur Rahim Akand, lived alone in her village house in West Bhuapur. Her son and two daughters live in Dhaka, said the PBI official.

On the afternoon of the 14th, one of the daughters called her several times before finding the phone to be switched off. The daughter then asked the neighbors to look for her mother,

Sultana's neighbors found the house locked from outside while lights and fans were running inside. After peeking inside the room, they saw Sultana lying on the floor, said the police official.

On hearing the news, the deceased's son, also the news editor of TBS, went to the spot and informed police.

The police recovered the body and sent it to hospital for autopsy. The next day, Sayem filed a murder case in this regard with Bhuapur Police Station. Later, PBI took over the investigation of the case.

PBI tracked down Sultana's phone which was missing and arrested Labu from Sirajganj. Labu had sold Sultana's phone to a woman there for Tk 1,500.

Police also recovered the knife used in the murder from Labu's possession. According to Labu's confession, Al Amin was arrested.

PBI SP said that both Al Amin, the main planner of the murder, and Labu used to do various petty works in Sultana Suraiya's house.

The duo entered Sultana's house with two knives on the evening of 13th and remained hidden till around midnight.

When Sultana found the presence of the duo, she started screaming. Labu and Al Amin both stabbed her to ensure her death.

They stole Tk 12,000 and two phones from the house and left. Labu left the area following the murder, but Al Amin attended the funeral of the deceased, the police official added.

Meanwhile, the victims' family demanded further investigation to find out whether anyone else was behind the incident.