In a press conference held at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Monday (August 5), the family of three victims who were brutally murdered in Cumilla’s Muradnagar upazila alleged that the father of an adviser in the current interim government was complicit in the planning and instigation of the killings.
Ruma Akter, the second daughter of deceased Ruksana Akter Ruby, delivered a written statement during the press briefing.
The victims—Ruksana Akter Ruby, her son Russel, and her younger daughter Jonaki Akter—were beaten and hacked to death on July 3 in Koribari village under Bangra Police Station.
Family members, including Ruby’s expatriate husband Khalilur Rahman, daughters Ruma and Rikta Akter, and Russel’s wife Mim, were present at the press conference.
Ruma claimed the murders were the result of a long-standing dispute and a premeditated attack fueled by local political and criminal actors, allegedly backed by the father of a high-level government adviser.
She alleged that their mother had been targeted after refusing extortion demands linked to a building construction project.
When Ruby declined to award construction work or purchase materials from certain local groups, threats were made, and incidents of vandalism were reported to law enforcement.
Ruby was also a former two-time candidate for a women’s vice-chair position in the local union council and had been harassed in politically motivated cases, according to her daughter.
Ruma described the attack as the culmination of a conspiracy orchestrated by a group of individuals including local political figures and criminals.
She said the planning meeting took place the night before the murders at the house of a local man, where it was decided that Ruby and her children would be eliminated to prevent future legal action.
On the morning of July 3, a group of attackers allegedly broke into the house and killed Ruby, Russel, and Jonaki in front of Ruma.
She was also severely attacked and left for dead, sustaining deep wounds that required 72 stitches on her head. She said emergency calls to 999 and the local police went unanswered, and law enforcement only arrived three hours later—after the victims had died.
Ruma further claimed that police officers present at the scene failed to intervene when attackers continued to strike her and her sister. She now lives in fear with her surviving family members, including young children, and urged immediate action.
The family demanded the arrest of all those involved in the killings, including the alleged mastermind and key instigators.
They also called for the reclassification of the case to reflect the full scope of the crime, alleging that the original complaint excluded key names due to injuries sustained at the time of filing.
Ruma warned that any future statements from family members contradicting Monday’s press conference should be considered as coerced, citing a recent incident in which her father was allegedly forced by influential individuals to make misleading remarks under duress.
The family urged the government to ensure justice and protection for the surviving victims.
