‘Friend of victim’s lover confesses’ to murder of Saudi expatriate

Police identify the victim after several body parts were recovered from Dhaka’s Manda

A woman has given a “confessional statement” in court over the gruesome killing and dismemberment of Saudi-based Bangladeshi man Mokarram Miah, whose body was found in eight pieces in Dhaka’s Mugda.

Helena Begum, a friend of Mokarram’s alleged lover Taslima Begum, also known as Hasna, confessed before a Dhaka court on Tuesday, officials said.

Helena’s teenage daughter was sent to the Konabari Juvenile Development Centre in Gazipur.

Prosecution Sub-inspector Marufuzzaman said Mugda Police SI Enamul Haque Mithu, the investigation officer, produced them in court.

He added that Helena agreed voluntarily to give a confessional statement, while police sought detention of the girl at the juvenile centre.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Kamal Uddin recorded Helena’s statement before sending her to jail.

Judge Md Moniruzzaman of Dhaka’s Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal ordered the girl’s transfer to the juvenile facility.

Mokarram, 38, from Talshahar in Brahmanbaria’s Ashuganj, had returned from Saudi Arabia on May 13 and reportedly went directly to Helena’s rented one-room house in Manda, where she lived with her 13-year-old daughter.

At a press briefing on Monday, RAB-3 Squadron Leader Md Saidur Rahman said Mokarram had been in a relationship with Taslima Akter, the wife of another expatriate from the same area.

Taslima also travelled from Brahmanbaria to the flat that day.

RAB said the pair had financial dealings and recorded “objectionable” photos and videos during the affair.

Mokarram allegedly demanded back Tk 500,000 and threatened to expose those after Taslima refused marriage.

Police said Helena also accused Mokarram of attempting to rape her daughter.

Investigators said Taslima and Helena then planned the murder.

On May 14, they allegedly mixed sleeping pills into Mokarram’s food, tried to suffocate him with a pillow, and later attacked him with a hammer and cleaver before cutting the body into eight pieces in the bathroom.

The remains were dumped in nearby garbage piles, while the head was discarded elsewhere.