Murder suspect opens jewellery shop in Dubai

Sohag Molla aka Rabiul Islam, a key suspect in the 2018 murder of police inspector Mamun Imran Khan, has opened a jewellery shop in Dubai, the law enforcers and residents of his village have confirmed.

Cricketer Shakib Al Hasan and social media star Ashraful Alom aka Hero Alom are among the celebrities who have travelled to the United Arab Emirates to attend the inauguration of Arav Jewellers.

Sohag, a native of Katalipara in Gopalganj, took the alias Arav Khan with a fake Indian passport to flee and start his business in Dubai, according to the police.

“We’re taking steps to bring him back through the Interpol,” said Harunor Rashid, an additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Mamun, an inspector at the police’s Special Branch, was found dead at Kaliganj in Gazipur in July 2018. The murderers burnt the body to conceal evidence.

Several suspects were arrested as investigations revealed the involvement of Sohag and his gang in the murder.

Police said Mamun went to a house in Banani with a friend to attend a birthday party, but Sohag’s gang confined him there and tried to blackmail him. The perpetrators threatened to take obscene photos of him with girls. He was killed as he resisted the attempt. “ sets of bunk beds in each room, with just one toilet and bathroom, adding the flat housed "18 to 21 people" with each room holding "seven to eight people".Some are sleeping in the kitchen, some are sharing beds, some are sleeping on the floor," he said.

Sohag, who was known as Rabiul Islam, 30, at the time, is among the 10 suspects charged in court in 2019. The others include his wife Suraya Akter Keya, 21, and Mamun’s friend Rahman Ullah, 35.

Sohag grew up in his maternal uncle’s house in Bagerhat and used to visit his village in Gopalganj several times a year, said Mazharul Alam Panna, chairman of the local union council.

While some of the occupants lived in the house for some time, they said other people were paying £20 a night to stay for a shorter period of time, and between 18 and 23 people could have been sleeping there on any given night. Council 'acted on complaints'

Other residents in Maddocks House said Tower Hamlets Council had been warned previously the number of people living in the flat was a safety issue. Nathalie, who lives on the same estate and is a representative of the residents' association, said: "Everyone knew about the complaint from at least 2021. It was left to residents to take photos and make more and more complaints."In a statement, a council spokesperson said it was working with the Met and London Fire Brigade on investigations into the cause of the fire, "and into the living conditions of the flat".

They went on: "We are supporting those who have been affected with a weekly allowance and signposting to advice, and have provided emergency hotel accommodation which we have now extended for a further week."

The landlord of the flat, who spoke to the BBC through a translator, denied responsibility for any alleged overcrowding and said the claims were false.

He said he was renting to three people only and was unaware 18 people were living in the flat until the night of the fire.

Mazharul said he took part in arbitrations over Sohag’s “six to seven” marriages and learnt that he wedded “15 to 20” women.

Villagers were surprised when Sohag sacrificed three cows on Eid-ul-Azha several years ago. They learnt about his crimes when the police went to the village for investigations.