Family Dispute: Inhuman torture on woman

Tied to a tree, a woman was tortured allegedly by her husband and in-laws over a family dispute in Satkhira Sadar upazila yesterday. 

Police rescued the victim, Anwara Khatun, 20, from her husband's house in Dahakula village and admitted her to Satkhira Sadar Hospital.

They also detained her husband Mostafizur Rahman, 28, and his younger brother Habibur Rahman, 32, for their alleged involvement in the incident.

In the hospital bed, Anwara told this correspondent that she married Mostafizur, a motor mechanic, in 2014. They have a two-year-old son.

She said Habibur's wife left him and went to her father's house last year over a family      feud. Since then, Habibur gave her an “indecent proposal” several  times.

Anwara alleged that she informed her husband and mother-in-law about the incident, but they did not take any action. “Instead, they beat me up being angry at me.”

Following the incident, she left the family and went to her grandfather's house in Ashashuni upazila in October last year. She came back home after her in-laws promised her that such incident would not happen again.

Around 8:00am yesterday, when Mostafizur, Habibur and their mother Zayera Khatun were having their meals together, Habibur blamed Anwara for everything.

At one stage, Habibur started beating her up. She took shelter in the kitchen and closed the door. But Habibur broke into the kitchen and dragged her outside.

Her husband, Habibur and their mother then tied her to a tree and beat her up with iron rods, bamboo sticks and brooms mercilessly, Anwara said.

On information, Sub-Inspector Achintya Kumar Bhowmick of Brahmarajpur police outpost went to the spot and rescued Anwara around 10:00am.

Akhtaruzzaman, a physician at Satkhira Sadar Hospital, said there were injury marks on different parts of the victim's body.

Anwara's grandfather Moktar Mallik demanded punishment of the torturers.

Contacted, Zayera claimed that Anwara often had altercations with her and Habibur over trifling matters.  

Yesterday, she threatened to kill herself over such an incident. As a result, they tied her to a mango tree, she added.

Habibur and Mostafizur have a workshop to repair buses and trucks near the bus terminal in Satkhira town. 

A case will be filed in this connection, said Shariful Islam, inspector (investigation) of Satkhira Sadar Police Station.