Motive unclear, but police point to a love dispute in JnU JCD leader’s murder

Jagannath University student and Chhatra Dal leader Zobayed Hossain was killed while he was en route to tutor a female student at a house called Raushan Villa on Noorbox Lane in Armanitola, Old Dhaka. Preliminary police findings point to a love-related dispute involving the student as a possible motive.

Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred around 4:45 pm on Sunday on the building’s third floor, where bloodstains were later found on the staircase from the ground floor to the third floor, where Zobayed’s body was discovered. At 10:50 pm, the body was sent to Midford Hospital for autopsy, and by 11:00 pm the student was taken to the police station for questioning. During initial questioning, the student indicated that Zobayed’s death may have been linked to a love-related dispute involving her boyfriend, Mahir Rahman, but she denied any direct involvement in the murder.

OC Rafiqul Islam of Banshal Police Station briefed reporters on Monday after the student’s preliminary interrogation. He said the student had a nine-year romantic history with Mahir Rahman. Mahir is a first-year student at Burhan Uddin College, while the student is a second-year student at Dhaka Mohanagar Women’s College. The two have known each other since childhood and are neighbors.

According to the OC, tensions had recently arisen in their relationship, and after their breakup, the girl told Mahir that she liked Zobayed. Authorities say Mahir, possibly along with his friend Nafis, allegedly killed Zobayed in a fit of rage. The OC clarified that while the student liked Zobayed, there was no romantic relationship between them, and there was no evidence of close communication or intimate messages. Preliminary findings suggest the incident largely stemmed from her fallout with Mahir.

During interrogation, the student disclosed that she connected with Zobayed’s friend Saikat on Facebook, but there was no other closer relationship. She reportedly learned of Zobayed’s death from Saikat.

The OC noted that the student appeared calm and composed during questioning, with no signs of distress. A more in-depth investigation is ongoing, and further details will be released later. Zobayed Hossain, a 2019–20 Statistics student at Jagannath University, was president of the Comilla District Student Welfare Association and a member of the university’s Chhatra Dal convening committee.

Following the murder, students protested outside Banshal Police Station on Sunday night, burning debris and blocking the Tanti Bazar intersection to demand swift justice and the arrest of those involved. Police said operations are underway to apprehend the main accused, Mahir Rahman, and his associate Nafis.