Woman denied entry to home for giving birth to baby girl

A Gaibandha woman was denied entry to home on Thursday reportedly by her in-laws as she gave birth to a baby girl.

Rokhsana Khatun, 23, gave birth to a baby girl at a private clinic in Rangpur town four days ago, shattering her in-laws’ dream of having a baby boy.

Villagers said Rokhsana of Gaibandha' Sadullapur upazila was married off with Raza Mia of the same upazila barely one year ago.

They said the couple had been living a happy life until recently when medical tests confirmed that Rokhsana was bearing a girl child.

Rokhsana's in-laws then started torturing her both physically and mentally. They also demanded dowry from her family.

On 8 March, she gave birth to the baby girl at the Rangpur clinic and returned home on Thursday only to find its doors closed, said officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadullahpur police station, Masud Rana.

He said Rokhsana had to wait at the backyard of the house all day long enduring all the agony with her four-day-old child. In the evening, her in-laws said her husband had already issued "triple talaq" (divorce) to her three months back.

Meanwhile, the newborn was getting sick for lack of necessary care outside the home for a long time, the OC said.

It was already getting dark. Then helpless Rokhsana called the National Emergency Service over hotline 999.

In response, the police rushed to the spot and found the gate of her in-laws' house locked. There was nobody around.

Later, the law enforcers sent Rokhsana to her parents' house in Sadullapur upazila along with the newborn.

Masud Rana said legal action will be taken against Roksana’s in-laws once they receive a written complaint in this regard.