A shocking instance of domestic violence escalated into an attempted infanticide on Sunday morning in the Jibannagar upazila of Chuadanga district. Police officers have arrested thirty-year-old Sonia Khatun after she allegedly attempted to murder her eleven-month-old daughter, Anika Khatun, by forcing liquid agricultural weedkiller into her mouth during a heated quarrel with her husband.
The horrific incident unfolded in the Edgahpara neighbourhood of Mrigmari village. According to local residents and relatives, the confrontation began early in the morning as the infant’s father, thirty-five-year-old Alamin, was preparing to leave the homestead for work. An argument erupted between the couple over longstanding domestic disputes, quickly deteriorating into physical conflict. Witnesses reported that both spouses struck each other with wooden sticks during the melee.
Shortly after Alamin stormed out of the residence, Sonia Khatun allegedly retrieved a bottle of chemical herbicide commonly used for agricultural weed control and poured it into the mouth of her sleeping baby daughter. The infant’s paternal grandmother witnessed the act and rushed to intervene, but was violently shoved aside and injured by the suspect.
Hearing the commotion, relatives rescued the severely ill child and rushed her to the Jibannagar Upazila Health Complex. Emergency healthcare workers administered initial first-aid treatments, but the infant’s condition worsened rapidly. Attending physicians promptly directed an emergency transfer to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital for specialized pediatric intervention. Medical experts note that chemical pesticide ingestion in infants presents an immediate life-threatening risk, frequently causing severe respiratory distress, acute organ damage, excessive sweating, rapid fluid loss, and loss of consciousness.
The incident has caused widespread outrage and shock across the local community. Law enforcement authorities acted quickly following reports from the medical centre.
Sulaiman Sheikh, the Officer-in-Charge of Jibannagar Police Station, confirmed that Sonia Khatun was taken directly into police custody. He described the event as deeply tragic and assured that a comprehensive legal investigation is underway. Detectives are currently interviewing family members, gathering forensic evidence from the scene, and recording statements from neighbours to determine the exact sequence of events before filing formal charges. The injured infant remains under continuous medical monitoring at Chuadanga Sadar Hospital.
