A dispute over an unpaid financial debt ended in tragedy in Narayanganj’s Bandar upazila late on Monday night, leaving a 72-year-old woman dead and two others severely injured.
The victim, identified as Maksuda Begum, widow of the late Nazir Uddin, died on the spot in the Mahmudnagar area following a violent altercation over an overdue payment for commercial scrap metal. Her son, Russel, and a neighbour, Shafiqul, sustained critical injuries while attempting to shield her from the attackers and were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for emergency treatment.
According to the victim’s eldest son, Joj Miah, the conflict stems from two shipments of scrap materials supplied to a local business operator, Saddam, son of Torkh Ali. The goods carried an agreed price tag of 10 lakh taka. Although Saddam had reportedly promised to clear the outstanding balance on Monday, 12 October, he began delaying the payment when approached. The encounter quickly descended into a heated argument before turning fatal.
Joj Miah alleged that Saddam and a group of associates armed with lethal local weapons launched a coordinated assault on the family. Witnesses identified three brothers—Samaun Habib, Olid, and Khokon, sons of Habiullah Miah—alongside five to six unidentified accomplices as active participants in the attack. Maksuda Begum was hacked to death during the onslaught, whilst Russel and Shafiqul were struck repeatedly as they tried to intervene. Statements from the accused could not be immediately obtained as they fled the area following the assault.
Police units deployed to the scene recovered Maksuda Begum’s body and transferred it to Narayanganj General Hospital for a forensic autopsy. The violent killing has sparked widespread alarm across the neighbourhood, prompting demands for swift law enforcement intervention.
Bandar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Jamal Uddin confirmed that forensic officers have examined the crime scene and gathered evidence. A formal murder case is currently being filed, with police launching operations to identify and apprehend the suspects.
While financial disagreements can be resolved through civil mediation or legal channels, the turn towards vigilante violence underscores the severe risks posed by unaddressed local conflicts. Authorities have stressed that a full investigation—incorporating witness testimonies and forensic analysis—will determine individual roles in the fatal assault before formal charges are brought before the court.
