Persistent incoming calls to a primary suspect’s mobile phone have enabled police to unravel the circumstances surrounding the murder of Ishayat Shahriar Apratim, the 13-year-old only child of Dr Nahida Begum, an associate professor in the Bengali Department at Comilla University. Investigators suspect a fatal combination of an unpaid 5,000 taka loan and a desire to steal the victim’s iPhone sparked the crime, though wider motives remain under review.
Dr Kamrun Nahat Sheila, an associate professor from the university’s Bengali department, revealed these investigative breakthroughs on Monday morning during a human chain protest organised by the Comilla University Teachers’ Association at the Shahid Abdul Kaiyum Chhatwar.
Police have arrested three individuals in connection with the murder following a case filed by the boy’s father, K M Firoz Shahriar. Among those detained is Saiful Islam, also known as Tuhin, whose interrogation provided critical leads for the investigation team.
Law enforcement officers took Tuhin into custody at approximately 9:00 am on Saturday, prior to knowing the boy was dead. Apratim’s body was discovered hours later, around 11:30 am, in a jungle area within the Lalmai Hills near Sananda village, adjacent to the university campus. The teenager had been missing for nearly 22 hours after leaving his home at 2:30 pm on Friday.
Tuhin initially denied any involvement in the disappearance. Prolonged questioning into Saturday night eventually led to his confession, though he stubbornly refused to disclose the identities of his accomplices, claiming he was “bound by a promise” to protect them.
During the interrogation, Tuhin’s mobile phone rang incessantly. The calls originated from a teenager employed at ‘Yestech’, a mobile phone accessories business owned by the victim’s father. Acting on the suspicious calls, police picked up the teenager, who was wearing a branded T-shirt bearing the name of Shahriar’s enterprise. Following further statements from Tuhin, a third suspect was brought into custody.
Interrogations revealed that the detained shop assistant had started working unpaid at Shahriar’s business just ten days prior to the murder. Apratim had lent this youth 5,000 taka, and severe friction had developed between them over demands for repayment. Investigators believe the suspect resented the pressure and calculated that killing Apratim would erase the debt, whilst also allowing him to seize the victim’s iPhone.
Speaking on behalf of the grieving family at the protest, Dr Sheila drew attention to another potential angle. During her previous tenure as an assistant proctor, Dr Nahida Begum had handed over several members of a local teenage gang to police during anti-narcotics operations. Dr Begum has urged law enforcement to thoroughly examine whether her son’s murder was a calculated act of reprisal linked to her past official duties.
Police confirmed that all leads, including the debt, the stolen iPhone, the phone calls, and potential revenge motives, are being exhaustively investigated to ensure everyone involved faces full legal accountability.
