Skeleton recovered from septic tank in Madhabpur, Habiganj; phone call unravels three-year-old murder, 4 arrested

In Ramnagar village of Madhabpur upazila in Habiganj, district detective police (DB) have recovered the skeleton of a young man named Mahabbat Ali from a septic tank behind a house, three years after he went missing. Mahabbat Ali was the son of Rusmat Ali. Police said the murder mystery was unravelled following a viral phone conversation.

On Friday (October 30), a raid in Ramnagar village recovered the skeleton and arrested the accused. District detective police sub-inspector (SI) Md Saiful Islam confirmed the matter.

Four people, including a woman, have been arrested on charges of involvement in the incident. The arrested are Shah Alam (34) of the same village, his wife Jahanara Begum (34), neighbour Joynal Mia (21) and Yasin Mia (24).

Police said Mahabbat Ali went missing on July 30, 2023. On August 18 that year, the victim's father filed a murder case at Madhabpur police station. At that time six people were arrested over a drug-related dispute, but no clue was found from them. They were later released on bail.

Three years after the murder, a phone conversation of accused Shah Alam during a quarrel with a person recently came into the DB's hands. In that conversation, Shah Alam is heard saying, 'I have finished Mahabbat, I will finish you too.' That audio recording brought a new turn to the investigation. Based on it, Shah Alam and three others were arrested in Ramnagar village last Friday.

During police interrogation, the arrested gave a description of the murder, police said. They said Mahabbat had a love relationship with Shah Alam's niece. Later Mahabbat also tried to build a relationship with Shah Alam's wife Jahanara Begum. Angered by this, a plan was made to kill him.

According to the plan, Jahanara Begum tactfully called Mahabbat to her house. When people were sensed arriving at the house, he was hidden inside a wardrobe and later strangled to death, according to the arrested persons' account.

After confirming the murder, the accused threw his body into the septic tank behind the house. Later, based on information given by the arrested, Mahabbat's skeleton was recovered from that septic tank.

The case's investigating officer and Madhabpur police station officer-in-charge (OC) Sohel Rana said the recovered skeleton is now in DB police custody. The four arrested have been sent to jail through the court.

Police sources also said there were multiple drug cases against the deceased Mahabbat and he had disputes with some local drug traders. But police said the main mystery has been unravelled three years after the disappearance.