A court in Dhaka has sentenced a man to death for strangling his wife, Rehana, over demands for dowry in South Keraniganj. The court also fined him Tk 100,000 in connection with the murder, which took place in July 2019.
The verdict was delivered on Sunday, 25 October, by Munshi Md Moshiar Rahman, judge of Dhaka’s Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-4. The tribunal’s Special Public Prosecutor, Md Ershad Alam, also known as George, confirmed the ruling.
The accused, Md Mizanur Rahman, also known as Mizan Hossain, was brought before the court ahead of the verdict. After announcing the sentence, the court ordered that a sentence warrant be issued and that he be sent to prison. Mizan had been living in a rented house in the Char Mirerbag area of South Keraniganj.
According to the case statement, Rehana and Mizan married approximately 11 years before the killing. They had two daughters. The complaint alleged that Mizan subjected his wife to physical and mental abuse over repeated demands for dowry following their marriage.
In an effort to preserve their daughter’s marriage, Rehana’s family reportedly provided furniture and gold jewellery. They also arranged for a tin-roofed house to be built. Despite these contributions, the demands for money allegedly continued.
Around 20 days before the killing, Mizan reportedly demanded a further Tk 50,000 from Rehana’s family. Her brother, Md Abbas, subsequently transferred Tk 2,000 through a mobile financial service. According to the complaint, Mizan assaulted Rehana again after failing to receive the remaining amount.
The case statement alleged that Mizan strangled Rehana at their rented home in Char Mirerbag at an unspecified time before 7am on 25 July 2019.
The following day, 26 July, Rehana’s elder brother, Abbas, filed a murder case with South Keraniganj Police Station. Police arrested Mizan after the case was lodged. He later made a voluntary confession before a court under Section 164 of Bangladesh’s Code of Criminal Procedure.
Following the investigation, Sub-Inspector Md Akkas Mia, the investigation officer, submitted the charge sheet to the court on 29 December 2019. Charges were subsequently framed against Mizan, and the trial began.
During the proceedings, the tribunal recorded testimony from 10 witnesses. After the trial, the court found Mizan guilty of murdering his wife and sentenced him to death, alongside the financial penalty.
The case highlights the serious consequences of dowry-related abuse, which can expose women to repeated domestic violence. Families may provide money, jewellery or household goods in the hope of protecting a marriage, but such concessions do not necessarily bring an end to demands or abuse.
Bangladesh has legal provisions addressing dowry-related offences and violence against women. The prosecution of such cases depends on investigations, the evidence presented in court and the judicial process. The verdict in Rehana’s case brings the trial at the tribunal to a conclusion, although the available report does not state whether an appeal has been filed or whether any further legal proceedings are under way.
