Housewife dies after taking poison in Chapainawabganj following jewellery-theft allegation, relatives allege torture

Relatives have alleged that a housewife, Ismotara Khatun, 26, has died after taking poison in Char Anupnagar village of Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila following torture over an allegation of stealing her aunt-in-law's gold jewellery. Ismotara was the wife of Mizanur Rahman of that village and the mother of two children.

Local residents, the deceased woman's relatives and police sources said Ismotara Khatun became seriously ill after taking poison last Sunday (25 October). She was then taken to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, where doctors on duty declared her dead the following day, Monday (26 October), while she was under treatment.

On Tuesday (27 October) afternoon, the body was taken to her husband's home in Anupnagar, from where the family took it to her grandparents' village of Laskarhati. Ismotara was later buried there.

The deceased woman's relatives and local residents alleged that Mizanur Rahman had beaten and tortured Ismotara at various times over a long-standing family dispute. They alleged the door was kept closed during beatings so that no one could rescue her.

According to the relatives, Ismotara was recently accused of stealing a relative's jewellery while attending a feast. They alleged she told local women, while bathing in the river before taking poison, that she had been beaten over that accusation and given no food for two days.

The deceased housewife's relatives have demanded justice, alleging torture and oppression and killing by poison.

Her husband Mizanur Rahman, on the other hand, referred to the jewellery-theft allegation. He said he had not known about the jewellery-theft matter and learned of it during treatment at the hospital after the poisoning. He said if he had known earlier he would have settled it and this situation would not have arisen. He also denied the allegation of beating his wife.

Shahin Akanda, officer-in-charge of Chapainawabganj Sadar Model Police Station, said the woman died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital after taking poison. The family was asked to have the body autopsied. An unnatural death case has been filed at the police station in this connection, the OC also said.