Victim of brutal torture allegedly by dowry-hungry husband and in-laws, a woman at Bangalkandi village in Gafargaon upazila under Mymensingh district is crying for justice.
Rebzana Akhtar, 23, received burn injuries, mostly on her upper hand and back, as her husband Azizul Haque Ashik with the help of his sisters allegedly poured boiling rice starch on her body at her husband's house at Daricharbaria village in Gafargaon upazila on July 14 .
The victim filed a case with Gafargoan Police Station accusing Ashik and three others but none was arrested as of filing this report yesterday afternoon.
Rebzana, who took treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, is still bearing marks of torture on her body.
Ashik and his family members used to torture Rebzana for dowry since her marriage in 2007, said family sources.
Ashik, a mobile phone shop runner at Kandipara Bazar in Gafargaon, also a local activist of Awami League, recently demanded Tk one lakh as dowry that Rebzana's poor family could not give, they said.
"On July 14, Ashik beat me severely to force me to bring the money from my father's house. At one stage, Ashik's sisters Jyotsna Begum and Hasna Begum held my hands tightly when he took boiling rice from the kitchen and poured it on me," said Rebzana.
"When the neighbours rushed to the spot, the culprits drove them away. Then Ashik and his family members confined me to a house for days.
"Coming to know about the incident after 10 days, my relatives rescued me and took me to my father's house," the victim said.
With the assistance of KN Shahana, executive director of Human Rights and Research Development Society, Rebzana filed a case with Gafargaon Police Station on August 7 night accusing four people -- Ashik, his sisters Jyotsna Begum and Hasna Begum, and mother Aqimunnesa.
Ain O Salish Kendra, a Dhaka-based national human rights organisation, is monitoring the case, said Shahana.
Rebzana's mother Hena Begum told this correspondent that they even sold their land to meet the demand of Ashik and his family members who often tortured her daughter for dowry.
"But the more we gave, the more covetous they became," she said.
Rebzana's elder sister Bedena Akhtar alleged that police is harassing them but did not arrest Ashik.
On contact, officer-in-charge of Gafargaon Police Station Md Omar Faruq denied the allegation of harassment, saying, "We called the victim and witnesses of the case to the police station for the sake of investigation. The culprits will be arrested soon."
Ashik denied the allegation of torture on Rebzana.
Source : The Daily Star
