Sirajdikhan (Munshiganj) Correspondent  

For decades, the residents of Kola Union in Sirajdikhan upazila have lived under the shadow of the notorious "Molla family." Marked by internal family feuds, bloody clashes, land grabbing, and a series of heinous crimes, the family’s criminal network has repeatedly made headlines.

The lid has been blown off their extensive criminal history following the brutal daylight murder of Elias Molla and the permanent crippling of his uncle, Eshak Molla, last Friday. Local residents have revealed that the masterminds behind this long-standing reign of terror are former Union Parishad (UP) member Rowshan Ara Rushi and her husband, Siddique Molla.

A legacy of violence 

and social crimes : 

According to local accounts, the Molla family's history of brutality dates back to the 1980s, when they gouged out the eyes of their nephew, Akhter, in broad daylight to establish dominance, forcing him to flee the area. By 1992, Siddique Molla became embroiled in a violent property dispute with his own brothers, during which he was severely wounded by a spear thrown by his brother Eshak. This incident marked the beginning of their permanent fixture in police records, as the family adopted a cyclical strategy of staging violent internal clashes followed by strategic, short-lived compromises.

In the early 1990s, Siddique Molla caused a local scandal by marrying his own niece, Rowshan Ara Rushi. Fear of Siddique’s violent retaliation kept the community silent. Following this marriage, the couple rapidly expanded their criminal operations. Locals recalled a tragic incident where a local healthcare worker, the wife of Sumanto, committed suicide by drinking poison. Before her death, she disclosed to her relatives that Rushi Member had publicly humiliated her by threatening to shave her head over false character allegations. Siddique Molla subsequently intimidated the grieving family during the cremation to suppress the matter. Shortly after, the couple played a central role in hushing up the rape of a helpless local girl named Panna, forcing her family to leave the village entirely.

Political chameleon and the 'arbitration racket' :

The couple maintained a highly opportunistic stance in local politics. Although the BNP sidelined them due to their violent reputation, the family gained immense power during the Awami League regime. By securing the trust of the then Thana Awami League President Mohiuddin Ahmed, Rowshan Ara Rushi seized control of the Kola Union Awami League. Leveraging this political backing, she was elected as a reserved female UP member three consecutive times without contest, despite local claims that she had not studied past the fifth grade.

Armed with administrative power, the couple forcibly grabbed land belonging to local resident Osman Bepari, halted the house construction of a teacher named Noyon Master, and looted the home of Siddique's brother, Mannan, an expatriate who eventually fled back to Italy out of fear. The terror reached such a peak that Rushi’s own mother stopped visiting the village and permanently relocated to Dhaka to escape her daughter's reckless behavior.

The aftermath of the 2015-16 UP elections provided a new avenue for extortion. During a late-night attack on a rival’s residence, a student leader named Asif Hassan, who accompanied Rushi and her son Bidyut Molla, was beaten by an angry mob. Asif later died in prison from his injuries. Rushi capitalized on this death by orchestrating a murder case, naming a dozen local political rivals as accused. Terrified of facing prosecution, several influential figures were forced to submit to Rushi's authority. This leverage birthed Rushi's lucrative "arbitration racket" (salish banijyo). In any local land dispute, the couple would intervene, seize the entire property under the guise of arbitration, and settle it unfairly to pocket vast sums. Through this illicit trade, Rushi transformed from a former domestic helping hand into the owner of a lavish air-conditioned mansion and vast assets.

Post-regime transition and the fatal climax :

Following the major political transition on August 5, 2024, the couple briefly went into hiding but quickly managed to influence local BNP leaders to resume their dominance in the area. Rushi even publicly boasted about financially backing a candidate with Tk 5 lakh during the past parliamentary election to cement her impunity.

The hostility reached a fatal climax due to a long-standing dispute over a 42-decimal piece of land. Around eight months ago, Rushi and Siddique publicly hacked Eshak Molla, leaving him wheelchair-bound. Last Friday at 8:30 AM, when the disabled Eshak and his nephew Elias Molla arrived at the tempo stand near Kola Primary School for breakfast, the Molla family launched a pre-planned ambush. Rowshan Ara Rushi, Siddique Molla, and their two sons, Biplob and Bidyut Molla, fell upon the victims with sharp weapons, including machetes and knives. Onlookers claimed Rushi screamed threats that anyone attempting a rescue would be hacked to death. After leaving both victims in a pool of blood, the attackers threatened eyewitnesses with death before fleeing. Elias Molla later succumbed to his wounds at a hospital in Shyamoli, Dhaka. Following the murder, an audio recording went viral on social media where Rushi was heard threatening her own younger sister, Lipi, who is Eshak’s wife, telling her to stop Eshak's medical treatment and threatening to kill her if she did not return to the village.

Police crackdown and current status:

Following a formal murder case filed on Saturday night by the deceased’s wife at Sirajdikhan Police Station, law enforcers launched a rapid operation. Police successfully arrested the primary planner and fourth accused, Rowshan Ara Rushi Member, along with her eldest son, Biplob Molla, from Dhaka. Biplob has already given a confessional statement before the court under Section 164. However, the principal attackers, Siddique Molla and Bidyut Molla, remain at large. 

As families like those of Halim Haldar, Rabiul Sheikh, and Delwar Hossain Mosa—whose ancestral homes were completely plundered by the syndicate—continue to suffer, the general public of Kola Union is demanding the swift arrest of the remaining fugitives and exemplary punishment for the Rushi-Siddique circle.