Tortured domestic help groans in pain

A brutally tortured girl, who worked as a domestic help at an influential man's house in Tangail, is crying in pain at Dimla Upazila Health Complex in Nilphamari for the last four days.

The victim is Arjina Aktar, 14, daughter of day labourer Ansar Ali, 50, of neighbouring Araji Sheikh Sundor village in Hatibandha upazila of Lalmonirhat.

Due to threat by Shahinur Islam, a local associate of Arjina's employer, the victim's relatives could not file any case with the local police station as of yesterday, said the victim's cousin Abu Taher.

Nasima Khatun, field organiser of legal aid committee of Brac in Dimla, said she visited the victim in the hospital and they will provide her legal aid for getting justice.

Visiting Arjina at the health complex yesterday, marks of burn and beating injuries were found on her back, legs, hands, and other parts of body.

Dr Yazmin Islam, attending her there, said, “Victim's right hand bone is fractured and there are burn injury and wounds all over the body. We have suggested shifting her to Rangpur Medical College Hospital."

"When Arjina was seven years old in 2009, Shahinur Islam of neighbouring Goyabari village in Dimla upazila took her to the house of Tajul Islam, a transport businessman at Singnatpara village of Tangail Sadar upazila, to work as domestic help,” said Arjina's mother Anju Begum, sitting beside her.

"Since then, all connection with my daughter was snapped. As we asked Shahinur, he assured us of her good condition," she said.

A tearful Arjina said, “Tajul's wife Amena Begum and daughter Lovely often tortured me. Lovely held my hands tightly and her mother burn my skin and flesh with hot iron, and pressed skin with plus. They broke my bones.”

On September 30, victim's grandfather Nur Mohammad went to Tajul's Tangail house and managed to bring her to Dimla health complex that day.

Contacted over mobile, Tajul denied the allegation of torture and said, "Arjina's right hand was previously broken as she fell from a mango tree in her house and the wound signs were caused due to sores in her childhood."