Accused Belal

As Suma Begum's husband and his unidentified accomplices are still at large, her family fears further attacks for filing a case over the December 15 brutal torture of the housewife in Sylhet.

The perpetrators this time might attack her only brother Hafizur Rahman, an auto-rickshaw driver who filed the case, said Suma's mother Aimuna. 

In a mindless act of brutality, Suma's husband Belal Ahmed along with two others cut off her tongue and slashed the tendon of her left leg for dowry at her mother's place in the city.

The following day, Hafizur filed the case with Jalalabad Police Station against Belal, his mother Joybunnessa, brothers Kamal Miah and Helal Miah and two other unidentified persons.

Police have arrested Joybunnessa and two relatives of Belal, and are hunting out others, said police sources.

Meanwhile, the 26-year-old daughter, of late Abdul Ali of Paschim Dorsha village in sadar upazila, has been undergoing treatment at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.

Her physical condition is improving and she may have to stay another week at the hospital, said Atiqul Ghani, assistant registrar of the surgery department.

Suma Begum in her bed at MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital. Photo: Star

“With her tongue and one leg's tendon cut off and a deep stab to her left chest, it may take her years to live a normal life. She may lose the clarity of her speech,” he said.

Suma is the youngest among three sisters and a brother. Her father died when she was a child. Her mother Aimuna raised them alone working as a house help. Now, Suma's brother Hafizur runs the family.

Suma and Belal got married in 2008 despite his mother's disapproval, her family said. She stayed with her family until Belal took her to his house in 2013.  

When she was living at her mother's place, Belal demanded money from her to do business.

Suma at one stage was pressured into taking out Tk 3 lakh loan from a non-government organisation. For the first couple of months, Belal paid the interest but then Suma's mother and brother had to carry the loan burden.

Belal, who works at a car workshop at Sobhanighat in the city, married another woman in 2011 without permission of his first wife Suma. In 2013, Belal took Suma to his rented house, somewhere at Sobhanighat, but she returned to her mother's after four months as Belal asked her to give him Tk 2 lakh more to build a house.

Since then, Belal used to visit Suma there, said her mother.

On December 15, Belal went to Aimuna's house and called out Suma from outside.

He walked Suma to a nearby hut filled with firewood, tied her up there with the help of two others, cut her tongue and left leg's tendon and stabbed her.

He also tried to slit the tendon of her right leg but failed as Suma's mother came out of her house and was looking for her. The criminals then fled the scene.

Apart from Joybunnessa, police arrested Belal's cousin Foyez Miah and nephew Redwan Ahmed, said Akther Hossain, officer-in-charge of Jalalabad police.

“The arrestees have connection with the torture. The court granted one day remand for Foyez and gave permission for interrogating Redwan.”

Police have also circulated Belal's photos to all police stations and through the social media to hunt him down, the OC said.