PBI Solves Teen Driver Murder Case

The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has claimed to have solved the murder of 16-year-old auto-rickshaw driver Sabikul Islam in Manikganj, arresting a suspect who investigators say has admitted his involvement during preliminary questioning.

The development was announced in a press release issued by the PBI’s Manikganj unit at around 11:00 a.m. on Thursday (9 July). According to the agency, 34-year-old Asaduzzaman was arrested following an investigation that combined CCTV footage, physical evidence, digital analysis and intelligence gathering.

Sabikul went missing on 30 June after leaving home with his auto-rickshaw. His disappearance prompted concern among family members, who searched for him without success. The following day, his body was discovered in a jute field in Manikganj Sadar Upazila. After the inquest and post-mortem examination were completed, the body was handed over to his family for burial.

The killing sparked widespread concern in the local community, leading the PBI to launch a shadow investigation alongside the regular police inquiry. Investigators examined surveillance footage from nearby locations, analysed evidence recovered from the crime scene and used information technology to trace possible suspects. Those efforts eventually led them to identify Asaduzzaman as the prime suspect.

Acting on confidential intelligence, investigators arrested him on Wednesday (8 July) from the Hemayetpur area of Savar.

According to the PBI, the suspect is a resident of Gorai Notunpara village in Manikganj Sadar, although he had been living near the Madrasa Gate area of Hemayetpur. He was employed as an assistant manager at a residential hotel.

Investigators said the incident began when Asaduzzaman hired Sabikul’s auto-rickshaw to travel home. During the journey, an argument reportedly broke out after the vehicle jolted over a damaged section of road. The dispute escalated into a physical altercation, and both men moved into a nearby jute field.

The PBI alleges that Asaduzzaman assaulted the teenager before forcing his face into the mud and applying pressure to his neck, causing death by asphyxiation. He is then alleged to have fled the scene immediately after the incident.

Officials said the suspect provided important information about the case during questioning. Investigators believe the killing took place sometime between the afternoon of 30 June and approximately 2:30 a.m. on 1 July.

The PBI stated that the investigation remains ongoing and that further legal proceedings will continue in accordance with the evidence collected. Officials also indicated that every aspect of the case will be thoroughly examined before the final investigation report is submitted to the court.