Staff Correspondent:

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested husband Mizanur Rahman Sumon on charge of killing his wife Bilkis Begum pouring petrol on her body at Purbanchal in the capital.

He was arrested conducting raid at Bason area in Gazipur on Tuesday evening.

RAB said Mizanur Rahman took his second wife Bilkis Begum to a jungle in Sector No. 24 of Purbachal on Sunday last and murdered her pouring petrol on her body.

It was disclosed by RAB at a press conference at the Uttara Office of RAB-1 on Wednesday afternoon.

RAB-1 director Lt Col Mostaque Ahmed said Mizanur is a taxicab driver by profession. He hails from Muradnagar in Cumilla district. However, he has been living with his first wife Shimu, one and a half-year old daughter and mother at a rented house at Ranabhola under Turag Police Station in the capital over the last several years. In such a situation, he married Bilkis Begum, 26, two years ago and kept her at a rented house at Nayapara, two kilometers off from Ranabhola.

Mizanur had to bear expenses of two families at a time with his meagre income. The relationship between Mizanur and Bilkis got somewhat bitter as the latter had been seeking more money over the last three to four months. At one stage, Mizanur planned to vanish his second wife from the world. As part of the plan, he used to take Bilkis to Purbachal area and tried to find scopes.

Quoting Mizanur, RAB director Mostaque Ahmed said Mizanur went to Purbachal with Bilkis on board his taxicab after early afternoon on Sunday. Both of them drank tea on their way. At that time, Mizanur was hurriedly looking for a suitable place and scopes. Mizanur took Bilkis to a jungle of Sector No. 24 in Purbachal after 4:00pm. He stopped his car witnessing that the place was very silent. Bilkis remained seated inside the car. Getting out of the car, Mizanur filled a bottle with petrol from his car through a pipe. The engine of the car was still on. After some time, Bilkis got down from the car. Instantly, Mizanur sprayed petrol on Bilkis’ body, lit a match and then fled away with his car.

At that time, Bilkis started shouting, crying and screaming. Hearing her shouting, people from surrounding areas rushed to her and took her to Kurmitola General Hospital first. As her condition deteriorated there, Bilkis was hurriedly shifted to Sheikh Hasina Burn Institute and Hospital at Chankharpool in the capital where she succumbed on the following morning (Monday morning) while underwent treatment.

Following the incident, Mizanur went into hiding. Then a team of RAB-1 started investigation to nab Mizanur. Subsequently, they arrested him from Bason area of Gazipur on Tuesday evening.