Liza’s husband arrested

Police yesterday arrested the husband of Liza Rahman, who succumbed to burn injuries she sustained when she set herself on fire near Shah Makhdum Police Station in Rajshahi last week.

The arrestee, Shakhawat Hossain, 19, was arrested from his sister’s house in Gomostapur of Chapainawabganj, said Masud Parvez, officer-in-charge (OC) of Shah Makhdum Police Station.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of police raided the house and arrested him at 2:30am in connection with the case that the police claimed Liza’s father Mohammad Alam had filed for provoking suicide.

Mohammad Alam, however, denied filing it. He alleged that some police officials of Gobindaganj Police Station in Gaibandha picked him up from his home, took him to Shah Makhdum Police Station in Rajshahi in a rented microbus, and forced him to sign the case.

Liza, an 18-year-old HSC student of Rajshahi Women’s Government College, set herself on fire after stepping out of Shah Makhdum Police Station in Rajshahi on Saturday.

The incident occurred an hour after she went to the police station, seeking legal assistance to protect her marriage.

She died on Wednesday while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital with around 60 percent burn injuries.

Liza’s step-brother Shihab Ahmed said, “Right before she passed away, Liza said she lost all hope after police belittled her marriage and denied assistance when she went to the police station seeking protection.”

Police, however, denied the allegation.