Youth, found dead in Hatirjheel, was killed by friends over 2.5L

Azizul Haq Mehedi, whose body was recovered from Dhaka’s Hatirjheel lake on Monday, was killed by some of his friends over Tk2.5 lakh, say police.

The Chittagong International Islamic University student gave the money to some of his friends for making some changes in a total of three passports, Hatirjheel police station OC Abdur Rashid told Dhaka Tribune on Wednesday.

Police disclosed the information after arresting four suspects in connection with the murder from different parts of Dhaka on Tuesday night.

The arrestees were identified as Mehedi’s friends Ahsan Ullah, Abdur Rahim and Tamim Islam, and Alauddin, a driver by profession. 

OC Rashid said: “Mehedi had recently completed his studies and was working in visa processing. He had given Tk2.5 lakh to Ahsan for making some corrections in three passports.

“Ahsan gave the money to Alauddin as he reportedly had good connections with passport brokers.”

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Alauddin, however, failed to ensure the due changes and was dilly-dallying to return the money.

“When Mehedi started asking Ahsan to return the money, Ahsan and Alauddin planned to kill him,” the OC added.

Mehedi arrived in Dhaka on Saturday from Chittagong after receiving a phone call from Ahsan.

Police said Ahsan took Mehedi to a house in Khilkhet where they gave him food laced with sedative and choked him to death that night.

OC Rashid said: “Later that night, Ahsan and other two [Tamim and Rahim] tried to dump Mehedi’s body in either Jatrabari or Matuail area, but failed.

“Alauddin provided a microbus the following night, with which Ahsan and the others dumped Mehedi’s body in Hatirjheel lake.”

On Monday, police from the lake had recovered Mehedi’s body, which was in a decomposed state, wrapped in sheets, mosquito nets, and polythene. His hands and feet were also tied with nylon rope.

Ahsan’s confessional statement was recorded at a Dhaka court on Wednesday afternoon.

The other three have been placed in a two-day remand each, confirmed police sources.