CoU teacher raises new questions over suspects in Aprotim murder

A suspect arrested in the killing of Ishayat Shahriar Aprotim, the 13-year-old son of a University of Cumilla (CoU) teacher, had started working without pay at the victim’s father’s shop just 10 days before the killing, a teacher from the university’s Bangla Department has said.

Associate Professor Dr Kamrun Nahat Sheela also said Aprotim’s mother, Associate Professor Dr Nahida Begum, had previously handed over several alleged members of a juvenile gang to police during an anti-drug operation while she was serving as an assistant proctor at the university.

Sheela disclosed the information at a human chain organised by the university’s Teachers’ Association at Shaheed Abdul Qayyum Chattar on Monday (September 21).

“I was with Madam until midnight yesterday. She told me some things. Four accused have been arrested in this case. One of them is Fahad. He took a job at Madam’s husband’s office about 10 days ago without a salary,” Sheela said.

She also said Nahida had conducted an anti-drug operation in the area while serving as an assistant proctor and handed several members of a juvenile gang over to police.

“Among them, two were reportedly members of Tuhin’s juvenile gang,” she said.

Sheela said Nahida wants investigators to determine whether Aprotim was killed as an act of retaliation linked to those earlier actions.

“She wants the police to investigate whether her son was killed as an act of revenge,” Sheela said.

She also said Nahida had requested that authorities verify the ages of the suspects described as minors through DNA testing.

Nahida has also demanded that the offenders receive appropriate punishment, including through amendments to existing laws if necessary, Sheela said.

Earlier on Sunday, Cumilla Superintendent of Police Md Anisuzzaman announced the arrest of four people in connection with Aprotim’s murder.

According to police, the arrested suspects are Saiful Islam Tuhin, 19, Mozammel Hossain Fahad, 15, Md Kamrul Hasan and Md Siam, 19.

The SP identified Tuhin as the main accused. He said Tuhin’s father is Nure Alam and mother is Shirina Akter. Tuhin is from Sananda (Maishan Bari), Ward 24 of Cumilla City Corporation, under Sadar Dakshin police station.

Tuhin dropped out of Cumilla City College in 2025 after failing his Class XI examinations and is currently not studying, according to the SP.

The second accused, Mozammel Hossain Fahad, 15, is a ninth-grade student at Mainamati Technical School and College. His parents are Momin Hossain and Julie Akter, and he is from Salmanpur (Member Bari), Ward 24 of Cumilla City Corporation.

The third accused is Md Kamrul Hasan, son of Md Abdul Quddus and Kulsum Akter, from Hatigara, Kalibazar, Kotwali, Cumilla.

The fourth accused, Md Siam, 19, is a Class XII student at Afzal Khan Degree College in Daulatpur, Kotwali, Cumilla. He is the son of Md Selim Mia and Shirina Akter and is from Elahipur in Sadar Dakshin.

According to police, investigators launched the probe based on a general diary and reviewed CCTV footage from the scene and surrounding areas.

The footage initially showed that Tuhin took Aprotim to an isolated forest surrounded by hills in the Sananda area of Lalmai Hills at around 2pm to 2:15pm on September 18, the SP said.

After Aprotim’s body was recovered, investigators reviewed the CCTV footage again and identified Tuhin, who had been with the victim. Police took him into custody before learning about Aprotim’s death, Anisuzzaman said.

During prolonged questioning, Tuhin allegedly admitted that he had planned to take Aprotim to the isolated location to steal his iPhone, according to the SP.

Tuhin also allegedly told investigators that Fahad and one of Fahad’s friends were involved. Police subsequently took Fahad into custody, and he allegedly identified Kamrul as another person involved in the killing.

Police then took Kamrul into custody based on Fahad’s statement, the SP said.