Thief masquerading as house help

Using fake names and addresses, she managed to secure jobs as a house help at well-off houses throughout the capital, and as soon as a chance presented itself, she used to make off after stealing valuables like jewellery and cash.

The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) said this yesterday at a press briefing after arresting the so-called house help, Bilkis Begum, 40, from the Kotwali area of the city in a theft case on Wednesday.

The case against her was filed with Hatirjheel Police Station on September 12 last year on the charge of stealing Tk 5.62 lakh in cash, along with gold jewellery.

The complainant in the case, Manowar Ali, mentioned that their house help, Nurjahan, with the assistance of another one, got her 55-year-old wife unconscious and escaped from his house on Dilu Road in New Eskaton after he left the house for his office.

Nurjahan is actually Bilkis, who hails from Mymensingh's Dhobaura, said Jahangir Alam, special superintendent of police of PBI Dhaka Metro (North).

"The PBI was tasked with investigating the case after Hatirjheel police submitted a probe report before the court without charging anyone," he added.

SI Rabiul Islam of PBI, who was investigating the case, said Bilkis was presented before a court yesterday, where she confessed her crimes.

Three cases were filed against Bilkis. Two of the cases are under trial now, said Jahangir during the briefing at his office.

In primary interrogation, the accused admitted that she sold the gold ornaments to gold traders in the capital's Khilkhet area and Islampur in Jamalpur.