The brutal killing of Naogaon that left four members of a family dead in Niamatpur upazila is unlikely to be a robbery, said police on Tuesday.
Investigators pointed to a land dispute and internal family tensions as the possible motive.
The incident took place late Monday night in Bahadurpur village. Locals discovered the bodies from the house early Tuesday morning when the front door was found open. Police later recovered the bodies and began an investigation.
The victims were identified as Habibur Rahman, 32, his wife Popy Sultana, 25, their son Parvez, 9, and three-year-old daughter Sadia Akhtar.
According to investigators, the couple were killed by having their throats slit, while the two children were beaten to death.
Initial suspicions centred on robbery, as Habibur, a cattle trader, had reportedly returned home earlier that day after selling livestock at a local market and was believed to be carrying around Tk 280,000.
However, police now say the nature of the killings and surrounding evidence suggest a different motive.
Local sources and family members said long-standing disputes over land ownership may have played a role. Habibur was the only son of his father, who had reportedly distributed land among daughters while allocating a large portion-- including the family homestead-- to him. This distribution had allegedly triggered tensions among siblings.
Habibur’s father claimed that his daughters and their spouses may be involved, alleging previous threats against his son linked to the property dispute.
Relatives of Popy Sultana also raised allegations of long-standing family abuse and conflict, saying earlier complaints had not resulted in effective action. They claim that the killings were premeditated and linked to disputes over land and family conflicts.
Speaking to reporters, the superintendent of police for Naogaon said preliminary findings do not support a robbery motive. He noted that valuables, including jewellery worn by one of the victims, remained untouched, reinforcing suspicion that the killings were targeted.
Police have taken four individuals into custody for questioning, including the victims’ father, two sisters and a nephew. Multiple investigative units are working on the case, officials said, with a promise of a swift resolution.
The bodies have been sent to Naogaon 250-bed General Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
