The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Momena was killed for only Tk 300, the main accused detained Faruq confessed to the police that he had killed Momena, angered by her refusal to give him the amount as demanded.

She was a prominent writer, publisher and Liberian of Udayan School and the widow of a late chairman of Dhaka University's Applied Physics Department, Sultan Ahmed. She was stabbed to death at her Dhanmondi flat on Monday afternoon.

Later in the day, Momena's son Mainul Ahmed filed a murder case against Faruq, an English honours student of Dhaka College.

The office-in charge of Dhanmondi police station Monwar Hossain said, Faruq threatened Momena with a kitchen knife for money, referring to early confession from the detainee.

In a bid to avoid a knife attack, Momena had allegedly shoved Faruq onto the floor, the OC said.

Apparently incensed by physical hurt, Faruq attacked and killed Momena with the knife, he added.

The Dhanmondi police chief had earlier said that the police would investigate the alleged links of the publisher to the killing.

Momena wrote a number of books including 'Hashi-Khushi,' 'School Library Parjalochona: Prekkhit Bangladesh' and 'Bhuture Gappo' under the name of Momena Deyasini.

Mamota, a seven-year-old domestic help, said Faruq, who had a good relationship with the family, came to the house at noon and took lunch.

After lunch, Faruq was watching TV, and Momena was ready to go out, Mamota said.

"Then I went to the kitchen and heard 'Boroma' crying for help. I rushed into her room and found Faruq pinning her down by the hair to kill her," Mamota alleged.

"Faruq told me 'I'll kill you too, if you come near me'."

Mamota then ran out of the apartment and broke the news to the neighbours.

Lift operator Abdul Alim told The New Nation that Mamota and another domestic help of another flat went downstairs and raised the alarm.

Meantime, an unnamed person from a flat in the same building told Alim by intercom that a man had killed Momena and was trying to flee.

Faruq, in his attempt to leave the building, hurried to the ground floor by elevator but Alim and other security guards stopped him as the gate opened.

"I found him covered in blood," Alim said.

Momena's relatives said Faruq used to go to the apartment once in a while. Momena had helped him financially, they said.

Major Ehsan Ahmed of RAB-2 who rushed to the scene told reporters that Momena had lived with her son Mainul Ahmed and Mamota in the apartment.

Her other son Saiful Ahmed lives in Russia.