Pregnant woman beaten over dowry in Nilphamari

A pregnant housewife has allegedly been beaten, kicked in the abdomen and strangled in an attempt to kill her over a demand for Tk 600,000 in dowry in Nilphamari. Her husband and members of her in-laws’ family have also been accused of assaulting and attempting to strangle her parents.

The victim, Mst. Mim Akter, 20, a resident of Pragati Para area under Nilphamari Municipality, filed a written complaint with Nilphamari Sadar Police Station on Monday night (August 31). She is the wife of Md. Ahsan Habib Chowdhury (Imon).

According to the complaint, Mim Akter married Ahsan Habib Chowdhury about six months ago in accordance with Muslim Shariah. After the marriage, she was allegedly subjected to repeated physical abuse by her husband with the direct instigation of other members of his family over dowry demands.

The complaint stated that after becoming pregnant, Mim went to her parents’ home. At around 6:00pm on August 31, she went to her husband’s house accompanied by her father, Md. Matiar Rahman, and mother, Mst. Samsun Nahar Rina.

At the house, her husband allegedly demanded Tk 600,000 in dowry from her father. When her father refused to pay the money, the husband allegedly verbally abused Mim.

When Mim protested against the incident, a female relative allegedly grabbed her by the hair and assaulted her. The complaint further alleged that her husband kicked her in the lower abdomen while she was pregnant, allegedly causing abdominal pain and bleeding.

According to the complaint, her husband subsequently pushed her to the ground and allegedly pressed her throat. When her parents tried to rescue her, they were also allegedly assaulted. Her mother was allegedly strangled during the incident.

The complaint further alleged that Mim and her parents were forcibly detained and attempts were made to obtain their signatures on divorce papers.

At one point, Mim managed to inform a female acquaintance by phone. The acquaintance then called the national emergency service 999. Police subsequently went to the house and rescued Mim and her parents.

Mim was later taken to Nilphamari General Hospital by her parents after her physical condition deteriorated. She was admitted to the hospital, according to the complaint. The family claimed that while she was undergoing treatment, the fetus and placenta were expelled.

Mim Akter has sought legal action against her husband Md. Ahsan Habib Chowdhury (Imon), father-in-law Md. Shah Alam Chowdhury, mother-in-law Mst. Aleya Chowdhury and three others.

Md. Zillur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Nilphamari Sadar Police Station, said, “The complaint will be investigated and legal action will be taken in accordance with the law.”