3 Bangladeshis killed in Rome
The brutal attack has shocked both the Bangladeshi community abroad and their hometown in Noakhali.
ATT Correspondent 
A Bangladeshi couple and their five-year-old daughter were fatally stabbed inside their home in Rome, Italy, in a brutal attack that has shocked both the Bangladeshi community abroad and their hometown in Noakhali.
The victims were identified as Kamal Uddin Babul, 39, his wife Arju Akter, 38, and their daughter Aroya Islam Arisha, 5, all originally from Char Kakra union in Companiganj upazila of Noakhali district.
The killings took place on Friday night at the family's apartment on Via Montilio, near Pineta Sacchetti in western Rome. Their 20-year-old son, Ayon, survived the attack but sustained serious injuries and is receiving treatment at Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital, according to Italian media.
Italian police have launched a murder investigation and released a photograph of the prime suspect, identified as Shahadat Hossain, who is also believed to be a Bangladeshi national. Authorities are continuing efforts to locate and arrest him.
According to Italian state news agency ANSA and local media reports, neighbours alerted police after hearing screams from the apartment. Officers later discovered the bodies of the three victims inside the flat.
Meanwhile, relatives in Bangladesh revealed that the family had received an anonymous threat letter nearly a year ago at their ancestral home in Noakhali. The letter, allegedly sent by a criminal gang, demanded cash and gold ornaments and threatened to kill the family's expatriate son and grandson, while also warning of violence against female family members if the demands were not met.
Family members said the matter had been reported to the local police at the time.
Mohammad Masudur Rahman, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Companiganj, said the horrific incident had deeply saddened not only the victims' relatives but also the wider Bangladeshi expatriate community.
Kamal Uddin Babul was the only son of Sirajul Islam, who has five daughters. After initially moving to Italy alone, Kamal later brought his wife and children to Rome. Before settling in Italy, the family had also lived in rented accommodation in Dhaka and Basirhat.
The motive behind the killings remains under investigation. Italian authorities have yet to confirm whether the earlier threats in Bangladesh are linked to the murders.
