Father-in-Law Killed After Defending Daughter-in-Law

A 65-year-old man was allegedly hacked to death in Pekua Upazila of Cox’s Bazar after protesting the reported harassment of his daughter-in-law, in an attack that police believe may have stemmed from a longstanding local dispute.

The victim, Abu Taher, was attacked on Friday (26 June) at around 8:30 p.m. in Harun Matbar Para under Ward No. 2 of Mognama Union. He was the son of the late Abdu Chattar and a resident of the same locality.

According to police and family members, several men, including Shifat, 27, son of Nurul Hossain, and Bahadur, son of Shah Alam, both from the nearby Puraton Bahaddar Para area, allegedly gathered outside Abu Taher’s home on the night of the incident. They reportedly threw bricks and stones at the house while calling out to members of the family.

The disturbance prompted Tayeba Begum, the wife of Abu Taher’s expatriate son, Kaysar, to raise the alarm after stones struck the roof of her room. Hearing her cries, Abu Taher came outside and confronted those gathered in front of the house.

Police said an argument quickly escalated into a physical altercation. During the confrontation, the attackers allegedly assaulted Abu Taher with sharp weapons, inflicting multiple serious injuries before throwing him into a nearby pond and fleeing the scene.

Local residents rushed to rescue the injured man and took him to Pekua Upazila Health Complex. Despite emergency treatment, the attending doctor pronounced him dead at approximately 10:30 p.m.

The victim’s daughter-in-law, Chokina Begum, said Tayeba Begum screamed after stones were thrown onto the roof of her room. She alleged that when Abu Taher went outside to protest, Shifat, Bahadur and several others attacked him with sharp weapons, beat him severely and left him in the pond.

Abu Taher’s eldest son, Nawab Mia, claimed that Shifat had been harassing his younger brother’s wife for an extended period. According to him, the matter had previously been addressed through a village arbitration, during which the accused reportedly signed a written undertaking promising to refrain from such behaviour. He alleged that the killing was a premeditated act linked to that earlier dispute.

The family also alleged that Tayeba Begum had repeatedly been subjected to harassment, including stones being thrown at the house during the night, obscene remarks and intimidation. They said a local mediation had taken place several months earlier following complaints about the incidents.

Mognama Union Parishad Chairman Yunus Chowdhury described the killing as deeply tragic. He said he visited the scene after receiving the news and assured the victim’s family of every possible form of assistance while efforts continued to identify and apprehend everyone involved.

Officer-in-Charge Md Mehedi Hasan of Pekua Police Station said the body had been sent to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital for a post-mortem examination. He said preliminary findings suggested the killing was linked to a previous dispute, although investigators were examining all allegations carefully. Several police teams have been deployed to arrest those responsible, and preparations are underway to file a formal case.

The two principal suspects, Shifat and Bahadur, remain absconding, and their statements could not be obtained.