Accused Md Anwarul Islam tried to snatch the money and valuables from Sayeeda Khaleque, a retired teacher of Dhaka University. When the teacher confronted and barred him to snatch the money and valuables from her then accused strangulated her to death.

The accused confessed his involvement in the killing and said this during initial interrogation to police, said Kashimpur Police Station inspector Sheikh Mizanur Rahman.

The body of Professor Dr Sayeeda Khaleque was recovered by police from Panishail area in Gazipur on Friday morning three days after she went missing.

Anwarul Islam was arrested as a suspect in connection with the murder, said police. He was working as an associate of a carpenter at an under construction house of this university teacher.

Professor Sayeeda’s son Sayeed Iftekhar bin Zahir said, “My mother lived in a rented house in Panishail area of Kashimpur. From there, she supervised the construction work of the house in the housing project. The work is also nearing completion. We are supposed to move into the new house within a week.”

He said, “Anwar, contractor of teacher housing project, informed me that the door of my mother’s house was found open before evening on Wednesday. Later that night, my sister Sadia Afrin filed a general diary (GD) with the Kashimpur Police Station.”

Sayeed said, “We had to be cut down as it fell inside the boundary wall of our house. A worker named Anwarul Islam cut down the tree. On suspicion, police arrested him from Gaibandha in the morning using technology.”

Based on Anwarul’s confession, police recovered the body of the teacher from a bush near the rented house. The killer took the gold ornaments and mobile phone with him after strangulated her to death. He then entered the house with the key and looted laptop, tab and money from house of the teacher.

Kashimpur Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Mahbub-e-Khoda said, “Professor Sayeeda was building a house under the Dhaka University Teachers Housing Project. Her son and daughter came home at 9.15 pm on Wednesday and could not find her. Later, her daughter Sadia Afrin lodged a GD with the police station.”

Kashimpur Police Station inspector Sheikh Mizanur Rahman said they gathered information on Professor Sayeeda from the under construction house.

“Police arrested the accused from Sadullapur upazila in Gaibandha on Thursday night on basis of the various information obtained from the investigation.”

He further said, “Anwarul confessed his involvement to the murder at one stage of interrogation. Based on the information he provided on Friday, the body was recovered from a bush near the under construction house. A scarf was found wrapped around the neck of the body.”

Dhaka University Teachers Association (DUTA) general secretary Professor Dr Md Nizamul Huque Bhuiyan said Sayeeda Khaleque went missing from her residence three days ago. She used to live in a rented house adjacent to a housing project in Gazipur. Her body was recovered by police on Friday morning.

Bhuiyan said Professor Sayeeda Khaleque went on retirement from Dhaka University about six years ago. She was 71 years old.