Our Correspondent :
A court here on Tuesday sentenced an absconding man Mossarraf Hossain to death for burning his wife to death after failing to realise dowry from her about 14 years back in Monthona area of the city.
The court sentenced another accused Habibar Rahman, grandfather of Mossarraf Hossain, to life term imprisonment for assisting his grandson in burning the victim to death. Judge of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-1 of Rangpur Md Zabid Hussain handed down the verdict in a crowded courtroom in absence of Mossarraf while his grandfather was present.
The court fined both the convicts Taka one lakh each and issued a warrant of arrest against Mossarraf who has been absconding since committing the crime and ordered for confiscating his properties.
The prosecution said Mossarraf Hossain jointly with Habibar Rahman sprayed kerosene oil on his wife Marjina Khatun’s body and set fire at 8:30 pm on October 15 in 2006 at home after failing to realise dowry from her. Neighbours soon rescued Marjina after hearing her screams and admitted her to the burn unit of Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH).
While undergoing treatment at RMCH, the victim informed police and physicians that her husband Mossarraf Hossain and grandfather-in-law Habibar Rahman put fire on her body after spraying kerosene oil.
Marjina died at the hospital after struggling with her life there for two days on October 17 in 2006. Rafikul Islam, elder brother of the deceased, filed a case in this connection accusing the two persons with Rangpur Kotwali Thana and police submitted charge-sheet against them before the court after investigation into the case.
After examining 11 witnesses of the case during the long hearing period, the court found the accused persons guilty and pronounced the verdict on Tuesday.
Talking to reporters, Special Public Prosecutor of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-1 of Rangpur Advocate Rafique Hasnine expressed satisfaction over the verdict.
However, senior lawyer Advocate Kazi Akram Hossain, who defended the accused side, said they would file an appeal against the verdict.
