National

Apratim Was Killed for His iPhone, Police Say

THT Report • September 20, 2026

Police have said that 13-year-old Ishayat Shahriar Apratim, the only son of Cumilla University teacher Dr Nahida Begum, was killed for an iPhone. Four people have been detained in connection with the killing.

Cumilla Superintendent of Police Md Anisuzzaman disclosed the findings at a press conference on Sunday afternoon (September 20).

The four detainees were identified as Tuhin, Fahad, Kamrul and Siam. According to the police superintendent, they admitted their involvement during preliminary questioning.

Police said the suspects tried to snatch Apratim’s iPhone in a forest between 5 pm and 6 pm on Friday. When he resisted, a struggle broke out. Tuhin allegedly struck him on the head with a bamboo stick, followed by Fahad and Kamrul.

After Apratim died, the suspects allegedly took the phone and fled the scene.

The police superintendent said Tuhin had sent Apratim a message and lured him out of his home. Police later recovered the iPhone from Tuhin.

Apratim was a seventh-grade student at Cumilla Border Guard School. At around 3:30 pm on Friday, he left home with his mother’s iPhone, saying he was going to Shalban Vihara to take photographs with friends.

When he did not return by evening, his mother filed a general diary with Sadar Dakshin Police Station. His body was recovered on Saturday afternoon from a forest in the Lalmai Sananda Hill area near the Cumilla University campus.