Dowry Murder Convict Sentenced to Death in Netrakona

A court in Netrakona has sentenced a man to death for torturing and murdering his wife over dowry demands, bringing an end to a case that highlighted the devastating consequences of domestic violence and financial coercion within marriage.

The convicted man, Shafiqul Islam, 42, was also fined Tk 10,000. The court ordered that he would serve an additional six months in prison if the fine remains unpaid.

The verdict was delivered on Wednesday (24 June) by Judge AKM Emdadul Haque of the Netrakona Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal. Shafiqul was present in court when the judgment was announced.

In the same case, the court acquitted Shafiqul’s father, Torab Ali, and mother, Sakhina Khatun, finding insufficient evidence to establish their involvement beyond reasonable doubt.

According to court records, Parveen Akter, daughter of Sona Mia from Ratnpur village in Barhatta upazila, married Shafiqul Islam, son of Torab Ali of Khudra Sidhli village in Kalmakanda upazila, around a decade ago. The couple had two sons and initially lived together as a family.

The prosecution alleged that dowry-related disputes began soon after the marriage. Investigators stated that Shafiqul and members of his family repeatedly demanded money from Parveen and her relatives. The situation escalated on 25 March 2019 when Shafiqul allegedly demanded Tk 100,000 as dowry.

When Parveen refused to meet the demand, she was reportedly subjected to physical abuse. Unable to endure the situation, she left her husband’s home and sought refuge with her parents.

A local mediation was later arranged in the presence of community leaders and elected representatives. Following discussions, the dispute was temporarily resolved and Parveen returned to her marital home in the hope of rebuilding family life.

That reconciliation proved short-lived.

Less than a month later, on the night of 26 April 2019, Parveen’s family received news of her death. Relatives rushed to her in-laws’ residence and found her body lying on the veranda of the house. Court documents indicated that visible injury marks were present on different parts of her body, raising immediate suspicions about the circumstances surrounding her death.

Police subsequently visited the scene, prepared an inquest report and sent the body to Netrakona Modern Sadar Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Following the incident, Parveen’s brother, Md Abu Yusuf, filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act at Kalmakanda Police Station. Shafiqul Islam, his parents and several unidentified individuals were named as accused.

After years of investigation, witness testimonies and judicial proceedings, the tribunal concluded that the evidence established Shafiqul Islam’s guilt. Public Prosecutor Md Nurul Kabir Rubel said the court reached its decision after carefully examining the testimony of witnesses and other material evidence presented during the trial.

The ruling stands as another reminder of the serious legal consequences of dowry-related violence, an issue that continues to challenge families and communities despite longstanding efforts to curb the practice.