A woman has been detained after allegedly injuring her husband’s genitals during a dispute over an attempt to have sexual intercourse without her consent in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj.
The injured man, identified as Zahirul Islam, 32, is receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. His wife, Sabiqunnahar Mim, 28, was detained by Siddhirganj police following the incident.
The incident occurred at around 7.30pm on Wednesday, 12 August, at a rented house in the South Sanarpar area of Siddhirganj’s Ward 3. The incident caused considerable alarm in the neighbourhood after residents heard Zahirul crying out in distress.
According to police and local sources, Zahirul is the son of Jamshed Molla of Haluaghat police station area in Mymensingh, while Mim is the daughter of the late Mostafa Kamal. The couple had been living as tenants at the house of a man named Shah Alam Mia in South Sanarpar.
Police said an argument broke out between the couple after Zahirul returned home that evening. Mim allegedly told police that her husband attempted to establish a physical relationship with her against her wishes. The dispute reportedly escalated before she allegedly used a sharp weapon to inflict a serious injury.
Hearing Zahirul’s screams, neighbours rushed to the house and found him bleeding heavily. They arranged for him to be taken to Narayanganj General Hospital, commonly known as Victoria Hospital. He was subsequently transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for more specialised treatment because of the severity of his injuries.
Mim has told police that the couple had been involved in a prolonged domestic dispute. She claimed that they had verbally separated on 27 September 2023, although Zahirul continued to contact her and visit her regularly.
She also alleged that Zahirul married another woman about three months ago but continued visiting her. According to Mim, he did not regularly provide her with financial support and sometimes took money from her after receiving his salary. She claimed that disagreements over their relationship and financial matters had persisted for some time.
Mim further alleged that Zahirul had repeatedly attempted to have sexual relations with her without her consent and that a similar confrontation took place on the day of the incident. She told police that she acted in anger during the confrontation.
The allegations have not been independently verified. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the couple’s relationship, the claimed separation, the events immediately preceding the injury and the exact nature of the confrontation.
Following the incident, a team from Siddhirganj police went to the rented property and detained Mim. Sub-Inspector Abdul Al Mamun said she had been brought to the police station while the injured man was sent to hospital for treatment.
Siddhirganj police station officer-in-charge Mohammad Emdadul Haque confirmed the incident and said the woman had been detained shortly after the incident. He added that necessary legal procedures were under way.
Investigators are expected to examine the statements of both parties, information from neighbours and other available evidence before determining the circumstances that led to the injury. Police said the medical condition of the injured man was also being monitored as part of the ongoing investigation.
The case has drawn attention because it involves allegations concerning domestic conflict, physical violence and sexual consent. Investigators will need to establish the facts carefully, particularly given the conflicting circumstances surrounding the couple’s claimed separation and continued contact.
No conclusion about criminal responsibility can be drawn until the investigation establishes what happened and the relevant legal process is completed.
