Journalist, wife hacked to death in city house

Farhad Khan and Rahima Khanam

An elderly journalist and his wife were found dead with throats slit at their Naya Paltan residence in the capital yesterday.
Farhad Khan, 60, senior assistant editor of the daily Janata, his wife and Rahima, 55, had been residing on the first floor of a three-storey building on Masjid Road over the past 12 years.
His younger brother, Abdus Samad Khan said a neighbour of the victims told him around 2:00pm over the phone that Farhad's apartment was locked from outside but mobile phones were ringing inside the house.
Samad ran to the spot and found some relatives and other people gathering at the door. They called police.
“Police broke open the door around 5:30pm. We found the bodies with throats slit and lying in a pool of blood on floor,” said Samad.
He added Farhad was wrapped with mosquito net while Rahima with a white cloth.
Police have no clue to the motive behind the double murder. Shahidul Huq, officer-in-charge of Paltan Police Station, suspects somebody acquainted with the couple might have committed the crimes.
Abdul Momen, assistant commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Ramna Zone), told The Daily Star that the steel almirah of the house was ransacked.
Samad said cash, gold ornaments and other valuables were looted from the almirah.
A family friend, Babul Parvez said some in-laws of Rahima went to the house following an invitation to lunch. They went back finding the door locked and enquired whereabouts of the couple over phone.
Rajendra Chandra, another acquaintance, said “At around 11:00pm Thursday I saw Farhad Bhai near Fakirapool intersection heading for home.”
Different intelligence wings had reached the crime scene to collect evidence.
Farhad was the founder president of Lekhak Samity (writers' forum) and earlier a librarian at the Cooperatives department.
Irin Khan, only daughter of the couple, lives in Italy with husband.
Rahima and Irin were once involved with Jatiya Party, said Babul Parvez.