Mother and 3 sisters murdered, young Sifat is the lone survivor

“Where is my mother….bring my mother back to me. I can’t live without her.”

These were the heart-wrenching cries of Junayed Islam, alias Sifat (16), as he beat his chest in grief. Overwhelmed, he repeatedly collapsed onto the floor and lost consciousness.

This scene unfolded at around 2:30 pm on Thursday at a rented house near the Dhanhata area of Raipur municipality in Laxmipur. Earlier that afternoon, Sifat’s mother, Shahinur Begum (40), and his three sisters—Saima Akter (21), Ikra Begum (17) and Sipa Akter (10) were killed after intruders entered their home. Sifat is the only surviving member of the family. Since the incident, he has spent his time in inconsolable grief.

The family, originally from Homna upazila in Cumilla, had been living in the area for long. Sifat works at a local rod-and-cement shop. He was seen grieving at a neighbor’s house while relatives tried to console him.

Speaking to Prothom Alo at around 10:00 pm on Thursday, Sifat said that he had left for work at 8:30 am, as usual. Around 9:00 am, he spoke to his mother over the phone. She had called to ask if he had eaten his breakfast.

“My mother asked if I had eaten breakfast. I told her I had. We didn’t speak again after that,” Sifat said in a choked voice.

Sifat works at a shop owned by Saiful Islam. Saiful told Prothom Alo, “As soon as we heard the news, we rushed from the shop to the scene. The sight inside the house is beyond words. The floor was covered in blood. The mother and three daughters were lying there, drenched in blood. I have never witnessed anything so horrific in my life.”

He added, “Sifat works at my establishment. He is a very polite and hardworking boy. Despite earning a modest salary, he was trying to support his family. He has become completely destitute after losing his mother and three sisters in a single day.”

Saiful further said, “The family is extremely poor. Their household depended on Sifat’s earnings and support from local people. It is truly heartbreaking that such a vulnerable family became the target of such a brutal attack.”

According to local residents, Sifat’s father, Kamal Hossain, died when electrocuted in the Mollarhat area of the upazila seven years ago. He used to sell household utensils from village to village. After his death, Shahinur Begum took charge of the family. She lived with her three daughters and one son in a house by the riverside in the Dhanhata area of Raipur municipality.

Among the victims, Ikra Begum was an 11th-grade student and Sipa Begum was in the fourth grade. The eldest, Saima Akter, had completed her HSC from Adamjee Cantonment College in Dhaka and was awaiting university admission.

Following the murders, local residents caught and lynched the accused youth, Antar Majumdar (28). Later police arrived at the scene and rescued him in critical condition. However, he died at a hospital while undergoing treatment at around 2:30 pm.

According to local resident Zakir Hossain, Sifat earned a monthly salary of Tk 7,000 from the shop. The family relied on that income along with support from local people.

"Despite their hardships, Shahinur Begum had big dreams for her children," Zakir said. "No one could have imagined such a tragedy would strike this family before those dreams could come true. The entire area is in mourning."

Police confirmed that Antar Majumdar was a resident of Noakhali’s Subarnachar upazila. He had been working as a mobile fruit vendor in Raipur.

Police said the motive behind the killings has not yet been determined. They are examining whether the suspect had any prior connection to the family or if there was a pre-existing dispute that led to the violence.

OC Shahin Mia of Raipur Police Station said, “Police are working to uncover the motive behind the killings. We are speaking with local residents, relatives and other relevant individuals as part of the investigation. Preliminary findings suggest that personal relationships, financial transactions or some other dispute may have been involved. We have also received information indicating that the accused was a drug addict. However, it is not possible to confirm any motive before completing the investigation.”

Lakshmipur Superintendent of Police Md Abu Tarek said the accused had lived as a tenant on the upper floor of the building about three years ago.

“Through that connection, he became acquainted with the victim’s family. We have learned that he used to visit the house because of that prior relationship. However, the specific motive behind the incident is still under investigation. All aspects of the case are being examined carefully,” he added.