Man sentenced to death for burning wife to death over dowry

A Dhaka court today (13 September) has sentenced Dulal Hossain alias Dulu alias Jewel to death for burning his wife to death over a dowry demand in Keraniganj.

Judge Munshi Md Moshiar Rahman of Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-4 handed down the verdict. The convict was also fined Tk2 lakh, Public Prosecutor Md Ershad Alam confirmed.

The tribunal also directed the Dhaka district magistrate or collector to realise the fine by selling the convict's movable and immovable properties and hand over the money to the victim's family.

The tribunal acquitted four other accused because the charges against them could not be proved. The acquitted accused are Dulal's brother Harun, sister-in-law Morshena, sister Sumaiya, and brother-in-law Raju.

According to the case statement, Sharmin married Dulal in 2001, and the couple had a daughter.

Since their marriage, Dulal, acting on the advice and instigation of the other accused, had allegedly demanded Tk2 lakh in dowry from Sharmin's family and physically assaulted her.

At around 9:30am on 17 September 2016, Sharmin was assaulted over the dowry demand before kerosene was poured on her body, and she was set on fire, according to what she later told her mother.

Hearing her screams, local people rescued her. They first took her to Mitford Hospital and later admitted her to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Sharmin's mother, Mst Momela, went to the hospital after learning about the incident and found her daughter in critical condition. She was informed that 85% of Sharmin's body had been burned.

Sharmin died while undergoing treatment on 30 September that year.

Her mother later filed a case with Keraniganj Model Police Station against six people, including Dulal's mother Jorina.

After completing the investigation, Keraniganj Model Police Station Sub-Inspector AKM Saiduzzaman submitted a charge sheet against all six accused on 31 January 2017.