‘I’ve killed my daughter, please hang me’

A woman has surrendered to police in Sylhet, hours after allegedly suffocating her 17-month-old daughter to death.

In her confessional statement, Nazmin Akter “confessed to killing her daughter Sabiha Akter by suffocating the child with a pillow” at their house at Shahparan area in Sylhet city early Wednesday afternoon, in sequel to a family feud with her husband.

Nazmin’s husband Sabbir Ahmed was also arrested in connection with the murder.

Police said Nazmin of Golapganj area in South Surma got wedlocked with Badli area of South Surma in 2015. Since then they had been living at Shahporan area. Nazmin is a teacher of a private university while her husband lives in Qatar as an expatriate.

Nazmin also married another man earlier and she had a son with him.

Nazmin told news correspondents present at the police station: “My husband went abroad after marrying me. He came to the country after long four years. But, he didn’t pay my family expenses when he was abroad. We again started conjugal life when he returned to the country. Then I became pregnant. He left for Qatar making me pregnant. After going abroad, Sabbir alleged that my daughter doesn’t belong to him. At one stage of altercation, I proposed him to conduct the DNA test of our child. Instead of doing this, Sabbir and his family members started defaming me. ”

Saying that the daughter’s face totally resembled with her father, Nazmin said: “Sabbir arrived in the country 15 days ago, but he didn’t come home to see his daughter for once. Rather, he had spread various slanders against me. Being shocked of it, I have killed my own daughter.”

Admitting the killing of her own daughter, Nazmin said, “I won’t try to involve anyone ‘s name in the murder, not also Sabbir. If I blame him, he will escape punishment. Allah will try him. I have killed my daughter. I want death by hanging.”

Kotwali Police Station’s officer-in-charge (OC) Mohammad Ali Mahmud said police brought Nazmin to the police station from hospital in the afternoon. Nazmin’s husband Sabbir Ahmed was also detained. Since the incident happened in Shahporan Police Station area, they were informed about it. They would take legal steps.

The body of the child was sent to Osmani Medical College Hospital morgue, he said.