Police have arrested two people in connection with the killing of 20-year-old mishuk driver Wali Ullah in Araihazar, Narayanganj, during the theft of his three-wheeler and mobile phone. Investigators say the arrests have exposed the activities of an organised group that allegedly hired vehicles from drivers before taking them to secluded locations, killing the drivers and fleeing with their vehicles and valuables.
The stolen mishuk and the mobile phone used by Wali Ullah have since been recovered based on information provided by the two arrested suspects, according to the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).
The details were disclosed at a press briefing held at the PBI Narayanganj district office on Sunday, 9 August.
According to investigators, Wali Ullah had gone out to drive a mishuk on 5 July in place of his ailing father. He did not return home that day. When family members tried to contact him by telephone, they found that his mobile phone had been switched off.
The following day, 6 July, his family filed a general diary at Sonargaon Police Station reporting him missing. On the same day, his body was recovered from an isolated area in Groupdi village under Uchitpura Union of Araihazar.
Police found sharp-weapon injuries on the body. The discovery caused concern in the locality and prompted a murder investigation. Wali Ullah’s father, Harun Rashid, subsequently filed a case accusing five to six unidentified people.
The PBI then began investigating several possible leads. Investigators examined CCTV footage, gathered intelligence, analysed information obtained through technology and traced the routes used by the mishuk. These efforts were aimed at establishing Wali Ullah’s movements before his disappearance and identifying those who had travelled with him.
After a prolonged investigation, police arrested Awlad Hossain, 26, and Shahin, 31, from the Sonargaon area on 2 August.
Investigators subsequently conducted a raid at Shahin’s home on 6 August based on information obtained during questioning. They recovered a Samsung mobile phone belonging to Wali Ullah and a Banglalink SIM card.
The investigation then led police to Bhaberchar in Gazaria upazila of Munshiganj. On 7 August, officers recovered the stolen mishuk from the area.
According to the PBI’s account, the two arrested suspects were allegedly part of a four- to five-member organised group involved in the killing. Investigators believe the group deliberately hired Wali Ullah’s mishuk from the Bardi auto stand in Narayanganj.
The group allegedly travelled towards Sultan Sadi Bazar in Araihazar. While returning, they reached an isolated location in Groupdi village, where Wali Ullah was allegedly attacked with a sharp weapon and killed.
After the killing, the suspects allegedly took the mishuk and the driver’s mobile phone before leaving the area. Investigators have also found information indicating that the stolen vehicle was later solda in the Bhaberchar area of Gazaria.
A further development came through Shahin’s statement to investigators. After completing a five-day remand, he was produced before a court on 8 August. There, he reportedly gave a voluntary confessional statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, acknowledging his involvement in the killing.
PBI Narayanganj District Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Rashid said investigators had unravelled the case through a combination of technological analysis, CCTV footage, intelligence gathering and sustained investigative work.
He said efforts were continuing to identify and arrest the other people allegedly involved in the crime.
The recovery of the stolen mishuk and Wali Ullah’s mobile phone is regarded by investigators as a significant development in the case, as both items may help establish the sequence of events and corroborate other evidence. However, the investigation has not yet been completed.
Police are continuing efforts to locate the remaining members of the alleged group and determine the precise role played by each suspect in the killing and subsequent theft. The investigation will also seek to establish the full circumstances surrounding the disposal and sale of the stolen vehicle.
