Bhaluka man freed his brother from jail. He regrets it after finding his entire family slain

He accuses his younger brother, whom he bailed out of jail just weeks ago, of murdering his entire family

Rafiqul Islam, a resident of Bhaluka in Mymensingh, is inconsolable on Monday after returning home from work to find the bloodied bodies of his wife and two children.

He has accused his younger brother, whom he had bailed out of jail just weeks ago, as the prime suspect of murdering his entire family.

“My wife and children did nothing wrong. I can’t accept that the brother I freed from prison did this to them. Why did you leave me with nothing, brother? Who do I live for now?” Rafiqul sobbed.

Police recovered the bodies of Moyna Akter, 25, their daughter Raisa Akter, 7, and son Nirab Hossain, 2, from their rented home in Ponashail around midday on Monday. All three had their throats slit.

Rafiqul lived in a two-room house with his wife, children, and younger brother Nazrul Islam. Nazrul has been missing since the killings, and police say efforts are under way to locate and arrest him.

“About two and a half months ago, I borrowed Tk 40,000 to get my brother out of jail, where he was being held in a murder case,” Rafiqul said.

“After that, he lived with us and drove an autorickshaw. One-room living was cramped, so about six weeks ago, I rented a two-room house. My family stayed in one room, and Nazrul in the other. Sometimes he argued with my wife over food, but it was nothing serious.”

He said he left for his night shift around 8pm on Sunday. When he tried calling his wife later that night, her phone was switched off. He then called Nazrul, who claimed Moyna was asleep.

On Monday morning, Rafiqul returned home and found the main gate locked. With the landlord's help, he broke in and discovered the bodies.

“I can’t believe Nazrul would do this. If I had known, I’d never have gotten him out of jail,” Rafiqul said.

Moyna’s sister, Asma Akter, said: “My sister and brother-in-law never fought. Rafiqul is a good man. Why would Nazrul flee if he wasn’t the killer?”

Landlord Hridoy Hasan Haiyum said he noticed no tension between the brothers. “I don’t know why this happened.”

Police have recovered a machete believed to have been used in the killings.

“It appears to be a case of domestic conflict,” said Additional Superintendent Montosh Saha. “We’re still investigating.”