Severely burnt Sonia fighting for life

Sonia, set on fire allegedly by her dowry-hungry husband and in-laws in Narsingdi, fighting for life at the burn unit of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.Photo: STAR

A housewife, severely burnt allegedly by her husband and in-laws for dowry at Karimganj village in Raipura upazila on Sunday, is fighting for life at a hospital in capital Dhaka.
Police quoting locals and family members said that the husband and in-laws of Sonia, 19, on Sunday poured kerosene on her and set afire burning around 80 percent of her person.
Sonia was married off to Sabuj Mia of, 25, son of Abdur Rouf Mia of the same village only six months ago.
The family members of Sabuj started pressing the parents of Sonia for Tk. two lakh dowry immediately after the marriage to send Sabuj abroad through manpower agents, Sonia's mother Selina Begum said.
As the parents of Sonia failed to meet their demand, Sabuj along with his mother Shukria Begum and sister Asma Begum started to torture the housewife on Sunday. Later at a stage, they doused her with kerosene and set on fire, locals said.
Severely burnt Sonia was rescued by neighbours and rushed to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital where attending doctor Abdul Baki referred her to the burn unit at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital in the capital.
Sonia's father Ilyas Mia yesterday filed a case against Sabuj, his mother and sister and 4-5 others with Raipur police station.
Police arrested Shukria Begum and Asma Begum on filing of the case.