House help rescued after seven-year torture

A 17-year-old domestic help was rescued from her employer's house in the capital's Bashundhara Residential Area on Wednesday with injury marks all over her body, according to the police.

The landlady, Sharmin Hossain, 45, had allegedly kept the juvenile help confined at her house for seven years and repeatedly abused her employee physically for "not working properly." The victim has been hospitalised.

The Bhatara police rescued the teenaged domestic worker following a national emergency centre complaint filed by a suspecting neighbour.

Hearing about her rescue, the victim's family has filed a case under Children Act against landlady Sharmin. As per case document, the Sunamgnaj-born domestic worker went to her aunt's home in Kishoreganj on 7 May 2016 and went missing the following day. Police are investigating how she ended up in Bashundhara Residential Area.

Doctors are also conducting medical examinations to ascertain if she was sexually assaulted, police said.

The girl was allegedly beaten with hot tongs and sticks by the landlady Sharmin. Initial investigation suggests Sharmin would also starve her domestic help.

"She was not given food for days. The teen used to eat leftovers from the dustbin," an officer said.

The photographs shared by police show the girl with bruises and burn injuries on her forehead, lips, cheeks and arms.

Bhatara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Asaduzzaman told TBS that after receiving a 999 call, the girl was rescued.

"After thorough search, we could identify her origins and details. She got lost around seven years back and landed at the alleged residence. Her father passed away a few years back and mother left her too. She has three other siblings. She has been sent to court to hand her over to her family," he added.