Husband among 5 to die for killing wife in Habiganj

Habiganj Correspondent : A Habiganj court on Thursday sentenced five members of a family including husband to death for killing a pregnant housewife over dowry at Chunarughat upazila in the district in 2016.

Besides, each of the accused was fined Tk 1 lakh.
Habiganj District Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-2’s judge Md Zahidul Huque handed down the verdict in the afternoon.

The condemned convicts were Rasel Mia, 25, of village Sadekpur under Chunarughat upazila, his mother Tahera Begum, 50, younger sister Hosna Begum, 20, brother Kausar Mia, 32, and Kausar Mia’s wife Rozi Begum, 27. Of them, Kausar Mia has been absconding.

Advocate Abul Mansur Chowdhury, public prosecutor of the court, confirmed it.

According to the prosecution, some time between 12 midnight and 3:00am on September 15, 2016, Rasel Mia assaulted his seven-month pregnant wife Ayesha physically. Critically injured Ayesha died after she was rushed to Habiganj Sadar Hospital. They married eight months earlier.

On the following day, victim Ayesha’s father Abdus Sattar filed a murder case against the convicts with Chunarughat Police Station. After investigation, sub-inspector Faruk Hossain submitted chargesheet on March 3, 2017. However, the tribunal directed the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to investigate the case again when the plaintiff refused the chargesheet. After investigation, the PBI’s sub-inspector Moinul Islam submitted chargesheet on November 11, 2017 accusing the five people. After recording the testimonies of 12 witnesses, the tribunal delivered the verdict on Thursday.

Hailing the verdict, PP Advocate Abul Mansur Chowdhury said the incidents of repression on women for dowry would somewhat decline owing to the verdict.