Dhaka University student ‘killed for not leaving study’

Nuzhat Begum on Monday came hurriedly to Natore from Jashore following a phone call from her daughter’s father-in-law about her illness. She was told that her daughter was taken to hospital. Upon reaching there, Nuzhat found her daughter Sumaiya dead at the morgue of Natore Sadar Hospital. She even found none from the in-law's family there.

Nuzhat alleged the family members of in-law of Sumaiya Begum, who recently passed out of Dhaka University, killed her.

Sumaiya Begum is a daughter of Siddiqur Rahman Jashori. She was married to engineer Mostaq from Baganbari in Harishpur village in Natore.

Nuzhat said, “Sumaiya’s father-in-law Zakir Hossain phoned me on Monday morning and said that my daughter is sick. He also said she was taken to the hospital. I came to Natore immediately and found my daughter’s body at the morgue. No one of the in-law’s family was there.”

She also said Sumaiya’s in-laws could not accept her wishes to study and join a job from the very first. That is why she has been killed. They tried to kill her around six months ago as well.

The victim's family members said Sumaiya took admission to Islamic Studies department of the Dhaka University at the encouragement of her father, Siddiqur Rahman Jashori, a renowned Islamic speaker. She was married to Mostaq in 2019 when she was a third year student. Her in-laws could not accept her studying. Instead, they asked her to focus on household works. But she would not have to stop her study as Siddiqur Rahman used to bear the educational expenses.

She completed her honours and masters studies with good grades and was taking preparations for BCS examinations staying in Dhaka. Suddenly her father Siddiqur passed away in September 2019. Following her father’s death, Sumaiya had been facing some economic problems. At that time, her in-laws again asked her to concentrate on the family instead of job. Ignoring all the pressure, Sumaiya was taking preparations for a government job. But she could not fulfil her dreams.

Her family alleged Sumaiya’s in-laws beaten her to death on Sunday night and tried to substantiate the death as a suicide.

Sumaiya was buried at a Natore graveyard after postmortem.

Natore sadar police station officer-in-charge Zahangir Alam on Tuesday said victim’s mother Nuzhat Begum filed a lawsuit against four, including Sumaiya’s husband, with the police station on Monday night. Police conducted drives whole night to arrest the accused. Her sister-in-law has already been arrested.

Superintendent of police in Natore Liton Kumar Saha said, “We’ve put highest importance to the case. The postmortem has been done to know the actual reason behind the death. We would know the reason of death once we get the report.”

He further said as the incident took place at her husband’s home, they must take the complete responsibility.