An 18-year-old woman was allegedly murdered by her former husband, who lured her to a railway line in Gazipur and attacked her with a sharp weapon, slitting her throat and stabbing her in several parts of her body. The incident took place on Sunday afternoon, 18 October, near the Dhaka–Joydebpur railway line in the Mawrartek area of Haidarbadh, Purbail.
The accused, identified as Rafiqul Islam, 28, was detained by local residents and handed over to the police. The victim’s father has filed a case in connection with the killing.
The deceased, Asma Akter, was the daughter of Abul Hossain, a resident of Mounam area in Naogaon’s Manda upazila. She lived with her parents in a rented house in Khailkoir, within Gazipur city, and attended a local madrasa.
Rafiqul is the son of the late Siraj Mondol and comes from Danga village in Manda upazila of Naogaon. He had been working in Malaysia and returned to Bangladesh on 26 September.
According to Asma’s father, she married Rafiqul around three and a half years ago through a mobile phone-based arrangement while he was living in Malaysia. Abul Hossain alleged that Asma’s maternal grandfather had forced her into the marriage.
After Rafiqul returned to Bangladesh, disputes reportedly arose between the couple over family matters. Asma divorced him around 20 days before the incident, according to her father.
Abul Hossain said Rafiqul continued trying to take Asma with him despite the separation. Three days before the killing, Rafiqul visited her parental home accompanied by several people, hoping to persuade her to leave with him. However, Asma refused to go.
On Sunday afternoon, Rafiqul reportedly contacted Asma by mobile phone and asked her to meet him near the railway line in Haidarbadh. When she arrived, he allegedly attacked her with a sharp weapon, cutting her throat and inflicting multiple injuries to her body.
Local residents rescued Asma in a critical condition and rushed her to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital. Doctors there declared her dead.
Purbail Police Station Officer-in-Charge Atikur Rahman said local residents detained Rafiqul and handed him over to the police. As the incident occurred within the railway boundary, he was subsequently transferred to the Tongi Railway Police Outpost for further legal proceedings.
Nur Alam, a sub-inspector at the Tongi Railway Police Outpost, confirmed that Rafiqul had been detained. He added that Asma’s body had been sent for a post-mortem examination.
Police are investigating the circumstances and motive behind the killing. A case has been filed by the victim’s father, and further details are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses.
The incident has raised renewed concerns about violence arising from domestic disputes and the safety of women following the breakdown of relationships. However, the precise circumstances surrounding Asma’s death and the allegations against the accused will need to be established through the ongoing investigation.
