The suspects, identified as Zakir Hossain and his wife, Sonia Akter, were arrested from the Kandapara area of Mongolergাঁও on Tuesday afternoon. They are the maternal uncle and aunt of the victim, Afrin.
The girl’s mother, Rowshan Ara, filed a case at Sonargaon Police Station on Tuesday. Police said the two arrested suspects were due to be produced before a court in Narayanganj on Wednesday.
According to police and local residents, Rowshan Ara and her younger brother, Zakir Hossain, had been involved in a prolonged dispute over land. The disagreement had strained relations between the two families. Sonia Akter had allegedly threatened the victim’s family with death on several occasions amid the ongoing conflict.
The incident took place at around 2pm on 25 September. Rowshan Ara and other family members had left the house, leaving Afrin at home. Taking advantage of their absence, Sonia allegedly entered the house and threw hot water on the sleeping teenager.
The hot water reportedly scalded Afrin’s waist and several other parts of her body. Hearing her screams, neighbours rushed to the scene and rescued her before arranging for her to be taken to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka.
Afrin remained under treatment at the institute for about a month, according to her family. She was subsequently brought home after receiving medical care.
Following the incident, the family sought justice through local residents and community mediation. Several informal arbitration meetings were held in an attempt to settle the dispute, but none resulted in a resolution.
Rowshan Ara eventually approached the police, filing a complaint on Monday against four people in connection with the incident. After the complaint was registered as a case, police launched an operation in Kandapara and arrested Zakir Hossain and Sonia Akter.
Speaking about the circumstances surrounding the alleged attack, Rowshan Ara said the dispute over land had caused longstanding hostility between her and her brother’s family. She also cited a missing mobile phone as another source of tension.
According to her account, Afrin was blamed for the missing phone, triggering an argument between the two sides. Rowshan Ara alleged that Sonia became angry during the dispute and poured hot water on her daughter, causing serious burns.
She said the family initially tried to resolve the matter through local mediation after Afrin returned home from hospital. However, repeated attempts failed to produce a settlement, prompting her to file the police case approximately a month after the incident.
Mohammad Abdul Barik, officer-in-charge of Sonargaon Police Station, confirmed the arrests. He said the suspects would be taken to court on Wednesday.
The officer added that, because the incident involved members of the same family, efforts had initially been made to resolve the dispute through mediation. When those efforts failed, the victim’s mother proceeded with legal action.
The case highlights how prolonged family disputes can escalate into allegations of serious violence. Police have arrested two people in connection with the incident, while the allegations against them remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.
