Staff Reporter:
Police yesterday finally arrested Ayesha, the young domestic help who had been working at the flat for only four days, in connection with the murders.
She was detained during a drive in Nalchity upazila of Jhalakathi around 1pm, said Abdullah Al Mamun, Assistant Commissioner (Mohammadpur zone) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police under the Tejgaon Division.
The victims—Layla Afroz, 48, and her daughter, Nafisa Binte Aziz, 15—were found dead hours earlier by Layla’s husband, AZM Azizul Islam, who rushed home after failing to reach them.
He filed a case with Mohammadpur Police Station that same night, launching an investigation now cen-tred on the young domestic worker who had recently entered their lives.
A Young Helper With Troubled Past
According to the case statement, Ayesha had only just begun part-time work at the family’s flat.
Police said that she originally hailed from Rangpur but had been staying with an uncle and aunt at Gene-va Camp after reportedly losing both her parents in a fire—details that paint a portrait of a vulnerable girl navigating an uncertain life in the capital.
Chilling Movements Captured on CCTV
Investigators say building CCTV footage has emerged as a crucial piece of evidence.
At 7:51am on Monday, Ayesha was seen entering the premises dressed in a burqa. Less than two hours later, at 9:35am, she appeared again—this time in the school uniform of Nafisa, wearing a mask and carrying the teenager’s school bag as she exited the building.
The change of clothing and hurried departure has deepened suspicions about her role in the killings.
Missing Valuables, Possible Motive
The complainant told police that several items—including a mobile phone, laptop and gold jewellery—were missing from the flat. Investigators say the disappearance of valuables suggests that burglary may have been a motive, though the brutality of the killings points to a crime far more complex.
Arrest in Jhalakathi Raises Questions
Why Ayesha travelled to Nalchity upazila and who, if anyone helped her flee remain part of the ongoing inquiry.
Her arrest marks a significant breakthrough, but police say they are now focused on retracing her steps between the time she left the flat and her eventual capture.
