At Roopganj in Narayanganj district, a 22-year old woman was brutally tortured a few days ago for her refusal to pay dowry. Her husband, husband’s friend, father-in-law and mother-in-law tied her hands and legs and her mouth with a rope and napkin to stop her fleeing and shouting for help.
The criminals cut her body from leg to mouth with a sharp blade and then left her uncared on the floor for 10 hours.
When the evil men and women fell asleep, she regained cautiousness and took shelter in a neighbour’s house. A case was filed with Roopganj thana but the accused are absconding.
We do not know whether the ill-fatted woman will get justice, but we know that she became the victim of an illegal demand and her guardian’s unawareness or helplessness to the continuous torture inflicted on her since marriage in 2011.
Dowry is illegal in Islam. Yet after this, killing for dowry has been continuing in our society for ages. The State has failed time and again to protect women from the curse of dowry.
The Islam oriented political parties are also silent to the issue. They have not issued any statement so far, jointly or separately, clarifying that Islam has banned dowry and any one, who will demand it must, be prosecuted. If necessary, a new law may be made.
However, we request the government to take care of the tortured woman and exert its pressure on the law-enforcement to bring the criminals to book.
We often speak of saving interests of the working class and the women.
But our steps are inadequate. Let us take oath on the May Day 2014 that we shall cooperate with the government to bring justice to the exploited class and the women.
Dhaka
