Apratim murder: Mother suspects two motives behind it - Prothom Alo English

Nahida Begum with her son, Apratim, which is now only a memory.From Nahida Begum’s Facebook accountApratim’s mother, Nahida Begum, believes that two incidents may have played a role in the killing of his son. She suspects that the killing may be linked to a teenage boy taking a job at Apratim’s father’s organisation a few days ago.

She also suspects that the killing may be connected to her handing over several teenage offenders to the police while serving as an assistant proctor.

At the same time, Apratim’s mother, an associate professor in the Department of Bangla at Comilla University, has expressed doubts about the actual ages of the two accused arrested in the killing case. She shared these suspicions with a colleague.

Associate Professor Kamrun Nahar of the Department of Bangla raised Apratim mother's suspicions about the reasons behind the killing at a human chain organised by the Comilla University Teachers’ Association.

She said she had met Apratim’s mother and that her condition was very bad. Despite this, she had asked that several suspicions be shared at the event. Kamrun Nahar said she had mentioned those points on her behalf.

The human chain and mourning procession were held at the university’s Golchattar at 11:00 am on Monday.

Citing Apratim’s mother, Kamrun Nahar said a 16-year-old boy from the Salmanpur area adjacent to the university, who was arrested in the Apratim murder case, had taken a job at Apratim’s father’s organisation about 10 days before the incident.

Apratim’s mother believes it should be investigated whether there was any link between the boy taking the job at her husband’s organisation and the killing.

Teachers of Comilla University bring out a mourning procession and form a human chain, organised by the Comilla University Teachers’ Association, on the university’s Golchattar on 21 September 2026, protesting the killing of Ishayat Shahriar alias Apratim.Prothom AloKamrun Nahar further said that while Nahida Begum was serving as an assistant proctor at Comilla University, she had handed over several members of local teenage gangs to the police during an anti-drug operation. Apratim’s mother claims that the teenage gang was led by the case’s main accused, Saiful Islam alias Tuhin, 19. Apratim’s mother has also demanded that investigators look into whether that incident had any connection with Apratim’s killing.

Apratim’s mother has also expressed doubts about the actual ages of the two accused arrested. Quoting her, Kamrun Nahar said two of those arrested in the case had been shown as minors. She demanded that their actual ages be verified and confirmed. She also said that, if necessary, DNA tests should be conducted to confirm the issue of their ages. She further demanded that the law be amended, if necessary, to ensure punishment for the criminals.

Professor Md Shahadat Hossain, acting president of the Comilla University unit of the University Teachers’ Association of Bangladesh (UTAB), spoke at the human chain.

He said they had held meetings with the deputy commissioner and police superintendent of Comilla. He demanded that, alongside those already arrested in the Apratim murder, anyone else involved should also be brought under the law.

Shahadat Hossain said teenage gangs are active in areas around Comilla University. He called on the police administration to take swift action against them.

Shamima Nasrin, convener of the Comilla University Teachers’ Association, said Apratim’s killing was not only an incident at Comilla University; it was also a reflection of the crisis in the country’s law-and-order situation.

Calling on the administration to take swift and effective action in the incident, Shamima Nasrin said teachers and students of the university had stood by Apratim. “But there is no one to speak up in this way for the many other Apratims across the country. It is the administration’s responsibility to ensure their safety.”

Comilla University proctor Professor Abdul Hakim said he wanted to see a speedy trial in the Apratim murder case. He said, “Apratim is our child. How many more human chains will we hold? The activities of teenage gangs must be stopped not only at Comilla University but across the country.”

Comilla University pro-vice-chancellor Professor Mohammad Amjad Hossain Sarker, teachers’ association secretary Professor Mohammad Julhas Uddin, deans of various faculties, heads of departments and provosts of the halls joined the protest event. Before the human chain, teachers held a mourning procession on the university campus.

Apratim with his motherCollectedApratim went missing last Friday after leaving his rented home in the Gandhamati area of Kotbari, Cumilla, around noon.

The following day, Saturday afternoon, his body was recovered from an isolated forest in Lalmai Hill in Sananda village under Bijoypur Union of Cumilla Sadar South upazila. He was a seventh-grader at Comilla Border Guard Public School.