Woman, baby burnt alive in Jhenidah

A woman and her 15-month-old daughter were burnt alive allegedly by her elder daughter’s husband for dowry in Jhenaidah last night.

The deceased were identified as Taslima Begum, 40, and her daughter Tasmia Khatun, reports our Jhenaidah correspondent.

Taslima’s husband Nazrul Islam Chand and their elder daughter Urmi were also injured in the fire.

Talking to The Daily Star, Urmi claimed that her husband Kamal Hossain, 25, along with three of his cohorts poured petrol through a window of a room, where Taslima, Urmi and Tasmia were sleeping on the bed and Nazrul on the floor.

They set the room on fire around 1:30am, she added.

Urmi alleged that Kamal hailing from Jessore, has been torturing her for dowry since last few months, and sent her back to her father’s house one week ago.

“Kamal also threatened me with my life,” she said.

Anwar Hossain, offficer-in-charge of Kaliganj Police Station, said the fire left the four injured with Taslima and Tasmia in critical condition.

The mother and the baby were rushed to Jessore Medical College Hospital where doctors referred them to the Burn Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital as their condition deteriorated. They died near Paturia Ghat before reaching Dhaka, the OC informed.

No one has been arrested yet in this connection, the OC said.

Superintendent of Police Altaf Hossain and Jhenaidah-4 constituency lawmaker Anwarul Azim Anar visited the spot.