In Burichang, an allegation of killing an expatriate's wife over dowry demand; 2 arrested
Daily Bijoy News, Comilla Correspondent:
An allegation has been raised about a housewife dying due to physical torture over dowry demands in Burichang Upazila of Comilla. The family of the deceased alleges that the in-laws tried to portray the incident as a suicide after killing her in a planned manner. The deceased housewife, Sadia Akter (22), was the daughter of Rezaul Hossain from North Kodalia village of Bakshimul Union in Burichang Upazila.
The victim's family stated that on Friday, December 5, Sadia came to her father's house to attend her grandfather's 'Kulkhani' ceremony. During lunchtime, members of her in-laws' family were present there and verbally abused her with obscene language and physically tortured her. At one point, she was forcibly taken to a CNG-run auto-rickshaw and brought to her in-laws' house.
The family alleges that after being taken to her in-laws' house, Sadia was again physically tortured over dowry demands and forced to drink poison. Later, around 5 PM, the relatives were informed that she had consumed poison and was being taken to Comilla Medical College Hospital. On the way to Dhaka, she died around 9 PM upon reaching Chandina.
The family alleges that when news of the death spread, the brother-in-law and father-in-law fled. Regarding this incident, a case has been filed by the victim's family at Burichang police station under section 306 of the Penal Code. In the case, six people have been named, with the husband's younger brother, Rabbi Hossain (24), as the main accused.
The other accused in the case are the father-in-law Mustafa (60), mother-in-law Rahim Khatun (50), husband's sisters Amina Khatun (26) and Sonali Akter (20), and husband Habibur Rahman (28).
The victim's mother, Rubi Akter, said, "My daughter got married to Habib about two years ago. They have an eight-month-old son. A few days after the marriage, when the husband went abroad, the in-laws started mentally and physically torturing my daughter for dowry. My daughter has been murdered in a planned manner. I demand a proper investigation into this incident and exemplary punishment for the culprits."
Burichang police station's Sub-Inspector (SI) Md. Rakibul Islam said that two people have already been arrested in connection with this incident. Operations are ongoing to arrest the remaining accused. Details about the actual cause of death will be known after receiving the autopsy report.
.Daily Bijoy News/ Md. Abdullah
