A court in Netrokona has sentenced a 42-year-old man to death for the brutal killing of his wife, following years of alleged domestic abuse linked to dowry demands. The verdict also imposed a fine of Tk 10,000, with an additional six months’ imprisonment in default of payment.
The judgement was delivered on Wednesday by Judge A K M Emdadul Haque of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal in Netrokona. The convicted man, Shafiqul Islam, was present in court when the ruling was announced. Two other accused in the case, Torab Ali and Sakhina Khatun, were acquitted of all charges.
According to the case documents and court proceedings, Shafiqul Islam married Parveen Akhtar around a decade ago. The couple lived in different villages within Netrokona district and had two sons together. Prosecutors stated that tensions in the marriage gradually escalated over repeated demands for dowry, with Parveen allegedly subjected to both physical and psychological abuse throughout her married life.
About a month before the incident, Shafiqul Islam is said to have demanded Tk 100,000 from his wife. When she refused, she was reportedly beaten, prompting her to leave for her parental home. Local community leaders and influential residents later intervened in an informal mediation process, after which she returned to her husband’s household.
Tragedy struck on the night of 26 April 2019, when Parveen Akhtar was found dead under suspicious circumstances. Her family learned of her death in the early hours and rushed to her husband’s home, where they discovered her body lying on a veranda. Relatives alleged that visible injuries were present on several parts of her body, raising immediate concerns about foul play.
Police recovered the body from the scene and sent it to Netrokona Sadar Hospital for post-mortem examination. Following the incident, Parveen’s brother, Abu Yusuf, filed a case at Kalmakanda Police Station, accusing the husband, along with his parents, under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act.
After years of legal proceedings, including witness testimonies and cross-examinations, the tribunal concluded that the prosecution had successfully proven the charges against Shafiqul Islam beyond reasonable doubt, leading to the capital punishment verdict.
State prosecutor Mohammad Nurul Kabir Rubel described the case as a deeply disturbing instance of domestic violence culminating in murder. He said the court’s decision reflected the severity of the crime and expressed satisfaction with the outcome on behalf of the prosecution.
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