A quiet morning in Khaliyar Baid ended in devastation on Thursday when a three-and-a-half-year-old boy was hacked to death, allegedly by his own mother, in Sakhipur upazila, Tangail. The violent incident also left an eight-year-old girl critically injured, casting a deep pall of shock and grief over the local community.
The deceased child has been identified as young Ashraful. His half-sister, Sidratul, who is the daughter of the suspect from a previous marriage, sustained severe injuries during the assault. Emergency responders rushed the injured girl to the Bhaluka Upazila Health Complex, where she remains under medical care.
Local authorities rapidly intervened following the incident. Police officers from Sakhipur Police Station took the mother, Aklima Begum, into custody shortly after the crime occurred in the early hours of Thursday, 17 September.
Reconstructing the family’s history reveals a complex dynamic. The child’s father, Shaheen Miah, married his first wife, Nasima, roughly three decades ago. As the couple remained childless for many years, Nasima herself initiated and encouraged Shaheen to take a second wife. Shaheen subsequently married Aklima Begum, who later gave birth to Ashraful.
Because Aklima worked long hours at a garment factory in Dhaka, she was largely absent from the household. Primary caregiving duties for infant Ashraful fell to Nasima, whom the boy grew to view as his main maternal figure, addressing her affectionately as “Boro Ma” (Elder Mother). Conversely, the child used to address his biological mother, Aklima, simply as “Auntie.”
Neighbours and local residents speculate that this emotional distance—specifically being addressed as an aunt by her own birth child—may have fostered deep-seated resentment or emotional distress within Aklima. Family members, however, maintained that there were no visible domestic disputes or open conflicts within the household prior to the attack, leaving the precise motive unclear.
Devastated by the loss, Shaheen Miah expressed his profound anguish over the tragedy. He recounted how, after thirty years of waiting, Almighty Allah had finally blessed him with a son, only for his second wife to brutally end the boy’s life. He demanded a thorough investigation and strict justice for both his deceased son and his critically injured stepdaughter.
Addressing the situation, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sakhipur Police Station, Murad Hossain, confirmed that the crime scene lies along the border area between Sakhipur and Bhaluka upazilas. Law enforcement transferred the toddler’s body to the Bhaluka Upazila Health Complex, where it remains for procedural formalities. Officers secured Aklima Begum in police custody for her safety and to facilitate ongoing legal proceedings, while investigators work to establish the full facts behind the tragic event.
