Retired female bank officer murdered in Bogura

Shahnaz Begum, 70, a retired senior officer of Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank, was brutally killed in her home in Mahabbat Nandipur village of Maydanhatta Union, Shibganj Upazila, Bogura, on Saturday evening (April 4).

According to police and family sources, two intruders posing as a mother and her son entered the house and attacked Shahnaz Begum, slitting her throat before fleeing. She was rushed to Bogura’s Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in critical condition but was pronounced dead around 8:30pm.

At the time of the attack, Shahnaz Begum’s daughter-in-law, Syeda Jinnat Akhtar, and her younger daughter were at home. Her only son, Mahmudul Hasan (Sajib), was at his electronics showroom in nearby Daridah Bazar.

Describing the incident, Jinnat Akhtar told reporters, “Around evening, a woman in her forties came to our home. She was known to my mother-in-law. After exchanging greetings, they began chatting and became friendly. During the conversation, a young man, around 23–24 years old, claiming to be her son, also arrived. We offered them biscuits and snacks, and they stayed in my mother-in-law’s room.”

Jinnat Akhtar went to her room to perform the Maghrib prayer, leaving her mother-in-law with the two visitors. After finishing, she suddenly heard screams. She added, “Sensing danger, I cried out for help. I tried to leave the room, but the door was locked from the outside. I called the neighbors, and just before one arrived, I heard someone fleeing from the house. When my neighbor and I entered my mother-in-law’s room, we found her lying on the floor, covered in blood, with her face bound with a scarf. The intruders had killed her within approximately 30 minutes and fled.”

Family members said they had no idea why Shahnaz Begum was targeted. No money, gold, or valuables were stolen. Her son Mahmudul Hasan added, “My father, Abdul Khalek, was also a retired officer of Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank. We lived in the same house with my mother. We had no known enemies or disputes.”

Shibganj police station officer-in-charge Md. Shaheenuzzaman said investigators are verifying the eyewitness account. “If the intruders, posing as mother and son, can be identified, it may help unravel the mystery. Multiple police teams are working to identify and arrest those involved. The body has been sent for postmortem,” he added.