Police Reveal Details of Ismail Murder
Bus supervisor notices money, plots the murder
DMP Joint Commissioner Md Faruk Hossain, unravelled how Ismail, a former security guard was killed in a bus on way to Gazipur from Jamalpur. Collected photo.
Ismail Hossain was returning with Tk 500,000 after selling a piece of land at his home to arrange his daughter’s marriage. The supervisor of the bus he boarded noticed the money. Police said the supervisor, along with the driver and a helper, then planned to rob Ismail of the money and killed him.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Joint Commissioner (Crime) Md Faruk Hossain disclosed the information at a press conference on Sunday after three people were arrested for their alleged involvement in the murder.
The three arrested men are Raj Classic Paribahan bus driver Sohel Rana, 41, bus supervisor Saju alias Limon, 26, and helper Md Monir Hossain, 19.
Ismail had boarded a Raj Classic Paribahan bus in Jamalpur on Thursday afternoon to travel to Gazipur. When his family members found his phone switched off after 11pm, they became worried. The following morning, Friday, his body was found on the Banani section of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway with his mouth covered with scotch tape.
Ismail, 49, was hailed from Hobdesh village in Jamalpur Sadar upazila. He had previously worked as a security guard at Delta Spinning Mill in Gazipur. For that reason, he had lived in Kashimpur, Gazipur, with his wife Asma Begum and their two children. However, after leaving the job some time ago, he returned alone to Jamalpur.
Family members said Ismail was travelling from Jamalpur to Gazipur to finalise the date and other arrangements for his daughter’s wedding. He was carrying around Tk 500,000 from the sale proceeds of a piece of land.
At the press conference, police official Faruk said bus supervisor Saju noticed the money in Ismail’s possession while collecting his fare. He then planned to steal the money with the driver and helper. Police alleged that they strangled Ismail to death, looted the money and dumped his body on the elevated expressway.
Ismail’s son Md Hasan had earlier said that he had gone to Jirani Bazar in Gazipur early in the morning to receive his father after he got off the bus. However, his father’s phone was switched off.
Ismail was supposed to get off at Jirani stoppage. Asked why he did not get off there, police official Faruk said that after making the plan, the bus supervisor told Ismail to go to sleep, assuring him that he would be woken up when the bus reached the designated stop.
After Ismail fell asleep, the other passengers were dropped off at various locations in Gazipur. Ismail was not allowed to get off, and the bus continued towards Dhaka with him on board. At one point, the supervisor and helper allegedly tied Ismail’s mouth and hands with scotch tape and wrapped a towel around his neck to ensure his death, according to police.
Police official Faruk said that after ensuring Ismail’s death, the three travelled from the airport towards Banani via the elevated expressway. They then made a U-turn and, while heading back towards the airport on the opposite side of the road, dropping off Ismail’s body.
Asked how the bus was identified, the police said at the press conference that Banani police reviewed CCTV footage from different points along the elevated expressway after learning that Ismail had gone missing. At one point, the movements of a bus named Raj Classic appeared suspicious.
The bus supervisor Saju and helper Monir were then arrested. The driver Sohel Rana was arrested subsequently.
Police official Faruk said the three had admitted during preliminary interrogation to being involved in the murder.
According to the arrested men, Ismail boarded the bus at the Dighpai bus stand in Jamalpur. At one point, Saju noticed the money Ismail was carrying while collecting his fare. He informed the bus driver about it. The driver then planned to take the money from Ismail.
Although Ismail had Tk 500,000 with him, the three arrested men did not admit during interrogation to taking the entire amount, Faruk Hossain said. They told police that they had taken around Tk 250,000.
Ismail’s son Hasan filed a case over the murder with Banani Police Station. Police said the three transport workers would be shown arrested in the case and sent to court.
