Bradford stabbing victim named as suspect remains on the run

A woman fatally stabbed as she pushed her baby in a pram has been identified by police as her suspected attacker remains on the run.

A police manhunt is under way for Habibur Masum, 25, who is wanted over the murder in Bradford of Kulsuma Akter.

West Yorkshire Police said Masum was known to police and that 27-year-old Ms Akter had had previous contact with police.

They are known to each other.

Assistant Chief Constable Damien Miller said West Yorkshire Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct police watchdog over its contact with Ms Akter.

Greater Manchester Police also said it has referred itself to IOPC over previous contact with victim and suspect.

Asked by reporters if Ms Akter had been in contact with police, Mr Miller said: “Yes she had.

“We have referred ourselves to the IOPC because we have had previous contact with the deceased.”

Asked about previous contact with the suspect, he said: “Masum was known to the police, not in West Yorkshire, that’s as much as we would like to say at this stage.”

Renewing his appeal to the public for information, he said: “I believe him to still be in the country at this moment in time.”

He also said a 23-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

At a press conference on Monday, he said: “On Saturday April 6, shortly before 3.20pm, Kulsuma Akter was walking in Bradford city centre.

“Kulsuma was with her young baby at this time, and was walking along Westgate when she was attacked and stabbed multiple times.”

“The emergency services were called at 3.21pm. However, despite the best efforts of members of the public, ambulance crews and hospital staff, Kulsuma sadly lost her life due to the injuries.

“Her baby is safe and well and was not harmed in this incident.”

Police hunting for Masum have conducted “a number of raids” in Burnley, Oldham and Chester where he is thought to have links.

He was last seen on CCTV getting off a bus in Bradford about around 20 minutes after the killing.

His Facebook page states he is from Sylhet, Bangladesh, and he is believed to be in the UK on a student visa, and later a post-graduate visa after he obtained his degree.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he studied for a masters in marketing and digital marketing at the University of Bedfordshire between 2021 and 2023.

Masum has documented his life in the UK with social media videos of him picking out clothes for children and adults in Primark, building baby furniture, and flying to Europe.

Days before the attack, he posted a picture of him posing with a woman and baby beneath a sign that reads “love”.

On September 26 last year, he shared a photo holding a new born in his arms in a hospital, with the caption “I have become the father of a Son. Both mother and child are alright now. Pray for my baby boy.”