The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested a man in connection with the murder of a woman in Chittagong city.
The elite force said the woman, named Laila Begum, her husband and son had testified in court in a murder case that took place a decade ago.
Laila revealed the motive behind the murder to the police. As a result, the accused in the murder case had planned to kill them in revenge.
The accused, who was recently released on bail, attacked the woman and her son, who had testified in court. The woman later succumbed to her injuries.
A man involved in the killings was arrested in a raid at Bhabir Mor area in Chittagong's Mirsarai Economic Zone on Monday night, RAB Chittagong Zone Commander Lieutenant Colonel MA Yusuf said.
The arrestee was identified as Mohammad Iran, 33, son of late Abul Bashar from the Miler Mata area under EPZ police station in Chittagong city. Deceased Laila Begum is the wife of Kabir Ahmed from the same area.
On April 11, 2009, Iran and his brothers Arman and Imtiaz stabbed their cousin Ershad to death. Ershad's aunt Laila Begum revealed information about the long-running dispute between them over the boundaries of the house and the background behind the murder to the police.
Later, police arrested Iran, Arman and Imtiaz.
"After serving more than a year in prison in connection with Ershad's murder, the three brothers were released on bail. They began threatening Laila after they were released. Testimonies in the case began in court around five years ago. The defendants repeatedly threatened Laila, her husband, and son to stop them from testifying since then,” said Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman, additional superintendent of police.
However, Laila's husband and son defied the threats and testified in court last November. Iran had intended to murder them since then, the police official added.
According to the RAB official, Arman and Imtiaz attacked Laila Begum and her son Omar Faruq Rubel on the morning of January 1 this year.
On January 6, Laila died at Chittagong Medical College Hospital as a result of her injuries. The attackers fled after she died, but were tracked down and apprehended by police.
According to RAB, four cases have been filed against Iran with various police stations throughout the city. Two of the cases were filed on murder charges.