Woman dies in Rab custody

A 45-year-old woman died on Friday morning due to what her grieving husband said was torture in Rab custody in Bhairab, Kishoreganj.

A Rab spokesperson said Rab will investigate the matter, and the actual cause of death can be found through an autopsy.

Suraiya Khatun, her son Taijul Islam, and husband Azizul Islam were detained by a Rab-14 team from in front of Nandail Police Station in Mymensingh around 6:30pm on Thursday in a case filed under Woman and Child Repression Prevention Act.

The law enforcers later released Azizul and took the others to a Rab office in Bhairab, Kishoreganj.

The next morning, she was brought dead to Bhairab Upazila Health Complex, according to Health and Family Planning Officer Bulbul Ahmed.

Azizul and Suraiya's brother-in-law Abdul Awal said she was in good health and could not have died of natural causes. Both of them alleged that the mother of four died due to torture.

Major Ashraful Kabir, commander of Rab-14 in Bhairab, said the hot weather was partly to blame.

"Suraiya fell sick from the excessive heat at the Bhairab camp. She probably died of a heart attack," he told The Daily Star.

Commander Arafat Islam, director (legal and media) at Rab headquarters, said the cause of death will be investigated.

"Rab will follow the legal procedure. Besides, the actual cause will be detected through medical examination," he added.

Suraiya's husband Azizul said, "My wife died due to torture. I will file a case. I want justice for this murder."

Suraiya and Taijul, 27, were accused of torturing and killing Taijul's wife Rekha Akter over dowry.

According to the case filed against Suraiya, Taijul and Rekha were married two years ago. Suraiya and the other family members often abused Rekha who died of torture by her in-laws on April 26.

Rekha's mother filed the case on May 2.

Abdul Quader, a former member of Chandipasha Union Parishad, said, "Azizul's family members are gentle people. They make a living by selling goods by the road. As far as I know, they are not involved in any criminal activities."

POLICE ROLE

Responding to a call from police, Suraiya, Taijul, and Azizul went to Nandail Police Station from their home Chandipasha area on Friday evening, the family members said. 

Azizul said Rab detained them just when they were entering the Nandail Police Station.

Sub-inspector Najmul Islam, who is investigating the case against Suraiya's family, claimed that police did not make any phone call and that the Rab team detained them from their village.

Mohammad Abdul Majid, officer-in-charge of the police station, said a general diary has been filed regarding Suraiya's death.