The victim’s family and locals have demanded punishment for her husband Muslim Uddin for allegedly setting housewife Fatema Akhter on fire in Sitakunda.
They made this demand at a press conference organized at Sitakunda Press Club on Saturday morning. At that time, 5 demands including a fair investigation into the murder were raised.
Earlier, the victim’s family and locals formed a human chain under the banner of Uttar Bagachtar locals and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
In a written statement at the press conference, Abdullah Al Zakaria, a resident of Uttar Bagachtar area and representative of a social organization, said, “Fatema Akhter is the daughter of Nurul Abshar of Dakshin Sona Pahar area of Zorarganj Police Station in Mirsarai Upazila. She got married to Muslim Uddin, son of Nurul Mostafa of Uttar Bagachtar area of Syedpur Union No. 1 in Sitakunda Upazila 10 years ago. Since then, Fatima has been a victim of physical, mental and social torture by her husband. Finally, after 5 days of being burned in the fire, she died at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) on the night of June 18.’
According to local sources, her husband Muslim had been physically and mentally torturing his wife for a long time. On June 14, during a family dispute, her husband beat her again. Later, Fatima was admitted to the ICU of CMCH Hospital with burns.
Meanwhile, doctors said that about 60 percent of her body was burned. She died at CMCH Hospital on Wednesday night while undergoing treatment for 5 days.
Demanding the arrest of her husband Muslim Uddin, Zakaria said, ‘We have come to know from the information of the neighbors that at one stage of the beating, Muslim locked Fatima in the house and set her on fire. Hearing the intense screams of the fire, the people around came forward. By then, half of Fatima’s body was burnt. At the time of the incident, Muslim initially claimed that the fire started from a gas cylinder. Later, he said that the wife set herself on fire. Her incoherent words raised suspicions in our minds.’
He said, ‘After the incident, some young men from the area went to Muslim’s house. They saw the hair pulled out by the fists. They did not find any signs of fire from the cylinder.’
Muslim’s eldest son said, ‘On the day of the incident, his father beat his mother. He was also strangling her.’
He said that his video statement has been preserved with us. In addition, the locals believe that Muslim recently secretly married a second time.
Revealing the mystery of the murder, Zakaria said, ‘The incident of Fatima burning after the beating is mysterious to us. Neighbors in the neighborhood say that Muslim and her mother set the fire. Many say that the level of beating that day was extreme. Unable to bear it, Fatima tried to commit suicide. But would Fatima do this? Her brothers say that Fatima, unable to bear the beatings of her husband, would come to her father’s house at different times. She would leave again for her children. Despite hundreds of tortures, Fatima Muslim was raising a family by looking at the faces of her three sons. It is unimaginable that Fatima would set herself on fire.’
He said, ‘Last Thursday, when Fatima’s body was taken from Chittagong Medical College to the morgue for autopsy, Muslim went into hiding. He was not even present at his wife’s funeral. If he were innocent, he would not have fled. We will request the police administration to bring the deviant husband Muslim under the law and interrogate him to uncover the real incident.’
Alleging that the police were slow to take the case, Zakaria said, ‘I regret to inform you that after Fatima’s death, her family went to Sitakunda Police Station to file a case, but no case was taken. Even after 72 hours of the incident, we have not seen any effective action by the police. In the meantime, Muslim has fled. There is no law, police or state standing by the helpless people. The victim’s family is her ultimate reflection.’
He further said, “We are deeply concerned about this tragic incident. Fatima’s death is not just a family incident. It is a social failure, a reflection of state neglect. We strongly condemn it and are raising 5 demands to the government and police administration to investigate and remedy the incident. These are – the police case must be accepted within the next 24 hours. Otherwise, we will be forced to organize a larger program with the entire student population of Sitakunda, the accused Muslim must be arrested immediately and brought under the legal process, the culprits must be brought under the law quickly after a thorough investigation of the incident and strict punishment must be ensured, Fatima’s family must be provided with legal and psychological support and the role of the local administration, law enforcement agencies and social organizations must be further strengthened in preventing violence against women.”
In response to a question, the victim’s brother-in-law Nur Nabi said, “My sister was often tortured by Muslims. We used to say, ‘Don’t start a family again.'” Then my sister would say, three small children; how can I leave them behind? Even after torturing the boys, she made a Muslim family. My sister is not here today as a result of that. The heretic Muslim and his family burned my sister to death. I want justice for this murder.’
Also present at the press conference on that day were Asaduzzaman, representative of the Sitakunda Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Mohibur Rahmar Shawkat, Khairul Islam, Borhan Uddin and Nesar Uddin Mejba, residents of Ekala in Uttar Bogachat.
