Husband remanded for two days over suicide abetment case of teenage wife

A Dhaka court on Tuesday placed Md Rahat Hossain, 22, on a two-day remand in a case filed over the abetment of suicide of his 16-year-old wife, Afra Khan, in the capital’s Shyampur area.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbub Alam passed the order after police produced the accused before the court and sought a seven-day remand for interrogation.

During the hearing, defense lawyers, including Syed Nazrul Islam, sought cancellation of the remand prayer while complaint lawyer Aktar Hossain Sohel, argued in favour of the remand.

According to the case statement, Rahat married Afra on 8 May this year. She was allegedly subjected to physical and mental torture over dowry and family issues after about three months of the marriage.

On 20 August, Afra was rescued in critical condition early in the morning and taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Following the incident, Afra’s mother, Lucky Akter, filed a case with Shyampur Police Station accusing Rahat and others of abetment to suicide.

Police later arrested Rahat in connection with the case. Court sources said three other accused, including Rahat’s parents and brother, who were arrested in connection with the case, are currently out on bail.