A court in Joypurhat has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for murdering his wife over domestic disputes in Akkelpur upazila. The tribunal also imposed a fine of 20,000 BDT on the convict, ordering that an additional year of imprisonment be served should he fail to pay the penalty.
Judge Md. Hasibul Haq of the Additional Sessions Judge 1st Court in Joypurhat delivered the verdict in a packed courtroom at approximately 11:00 am on Wednesday, 4 November. Syed Majharul Islam, the bench assistant of the court, formally confirmed the judicial order.
The convict, identified as Sirajul Islam Sheikh, also known locally as Lalu, is the son of the late Abdus Sattar Sheikh, hailing from Gudumba village within Akkelpur upazila.
Court records and case documents reveal that Sirajul married Panna Bibi, daughter of Anwar Hossain from Ghoradah Madhyapara village in Adamdighi upazila, Bogura, in 2010. Throughout their 13-year marriage, the couple remained childless, a factor that triggered recurring familial friction, bitterness, and frequent altercations between the spouses.
The prosecution case outlined that the longstanding domestic discord escalated dramatically on the night of 7 March 2023. During a heated argument inside their residence, Sirajul lost his temper, wrapped a rope around Panna Bibi’s neck, and strangled her. To ensure her death, he subsequently slit her throat using a sharp instrument.
Alerted by local residents the following morning, police officers from Akkelpur Police Station arrived at the scene, recovered Panna Bibi’s body, and dispatched it to the Joypurhat District Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy examination.
Following the tragic incident, the victim’s father, Anwar Hossain, lodged a formal murder case at Akkelpur Police Station, naming his son-in-law, Sirajul, as the sole accused. Police launched an investigation, gathered forensic evidence, and submitted a charge sheet to the court.
After a thorough trial process involving the examination of prosecution witnesses and legal arguments from both sides, the court found Sirajul guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Following the verdict, police escorted the convict under tight security to Joypurhat District Gaol to serve his sentence.
