A fifty-four-year-old woman was stabbed to death in the Gowainghat Upazila of Sylhet District after she attempted to prevent a group of unidentified individuals from forcibly abducting her fourteen-year-old granddaughter. The violent incident, which occurred late on Friday night, also left the adolescent girl and her mother severely injured. The criminal assault transpired in Birmangal Haor village, located within the Rustampur Union of the Upazila.
According to official administrative and law enforcement sources, the deceased woman has been identified as Dilara Begum, the widow of the late Mahmud Hoson. The surviving injured victims include her fourteen-year-old granddaughter and the adolescent’s mother, identified as Sajna Begum. The local authorities and medical teams were deployed to the area immediately after neighbours discovered the casualties within the family residence.
Sequence of Events During the Assault
The incident commenced during the early hours of Saturday morning when three unidentified young men forcibly breached the entrance door of the family’s corrugated iron sheet home. Upon gaining entry, the intruders targeted the fourteen-year-old girl, covering her mouth in an attempt to stifle her cries while dragging her outside the premises. Awakened by the disturbance, the girl’s mother, Sajna Begum, intervened to rescue her daughter, prompting the assailants to bite her hand to overpower her resistance.
As the adolescent continued to struggle and scream for assistance, the perpetrators brandished a knife to intimidate her, causing a laceration to her hand during the scuffle. Hearing the ongoing commotion from an adjacent room, the grandmother, Dilara Begum, rushed to the hallway and positioned herself at the doorway to block the attackers from escaping with the child. One of the intruders then stabbed Dilara Begum directly in the right side of her chest.
Family Background and Community Response
A local resident and neighbour, identified as Alkas Miah, provided contextual details regarding the household’s socio-economic circumstances. He stated that Dilara Begum resided in the modest dwelling alongside her daughter, who has a disability, her granddaughter, a grandson who also has a disability, and her daughter-in-law. Alkas Miah disclosed that the two adult sons of the family had migrated abroad several months prior to secure employment and manage outstanding financial debts, leaving the female members and children vulnerable.
At approximately 3:00 am on Saturday, neighbouring residents heard persistent crying emanating from the property. Alkas Miah, accompanied by a group of villagers, arrived at the house to investigate the disturbance. Upon entering, they discovered the lifeless, blood-stained body of Dilara Begum on the floor, while the injured teenager and her mother were found incapacitated in another section of the home.
Police Investigation and Legal Status
The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Gowainghat Police Station, Mohammad Moniruzzaman, confirmed the details of the homicide and subsequent investigation. He stated that preliminary police assessments indicate the attack was motivated by a pre-existing enmity or dispute. Law enforcement officials have recovered the body of Dilara Begum and transferred it to the morgue at the Osmani Medical College Hospital in Sylhet for a formal post-mortem examination.
The two injured victims received medical treatment for their respective lacerations and physical trauma and have since returned to their residence. OC Moniruzzaman noted that while the affected family has not yet filed a formal written complaint with the police department, the initiation of necessary statutory legal procedures remains actively underway by the relevant authorities.