Housewife alleges torture by in-laws for dowry

A newly married housewife, who fell victim to domestic violence, has demanded punishment to her in-laws, alleging that they tortured her brutally over dowry.
Jesmin Akter, 22, wife of Mohammad Rafiq, an employee of a shop at Mirpur in the city, was admitted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) on Thursday after being tortured by her mother-in-law Setara Begum, brother-in-law Khokon, sister-in-law Moni and sister-in-law's husband Ripon.
With a faint voice, Jesmin who is now recovering at DMCH, told The Daily Star that though 10 days have passed since her torture by in-laws she is yet to get justice.
Describing her agonising ordeals, Jesmin said her brother and sister-in-laws kicked her while the mother-in-law bit her right hand causing serious injuries on the night of September 7.
"After torturing severely they confined me to a house at Azambagh in Pallabi for six days and when my husband came to retrieve me they also beat him," said Jesmin, daughter of a staff of Mymensingh Agriculture University, while tears rolling down her cheek.
Getting the news from Rafiq, Jesmin's mother Aleya Begum rescued her daughter with the help of her husband.
She rushed Jesmin to one-stop crisis centre (OCC) at DMCH.
Gynae Consultant of OCC Bilkis Begum said the condition of the housewife was so bad that they referred her to emergency ward of DMCH.
They (OCC) will provide legal assistance along with other assistance after she recovers fully, Bilkis added.
Jesmin said she met Rafiq in a bridal party at Feni 10 months back and they became involved with each other.
Four months ago when she came to her grand father's house at Pallabi, she was married to Rafiq in presence of his family, she said.
After two months of their marriage, the in-laws started demanding a dowry of Tk 2 lakh for sending Rafiq abroad, she said, adding that her family could not meet the demand due to financial constraint.
"We gave furniture and other things worth around Tk 40,000 in different occasions, but it is not possible for us to give such a big amount of money," said Aleya.
She said they will file a case after Jesmin's recovery.