Bangladesh Mahila Parishad on Wednesday expressed strong condemnation and anger over the incident of punishing and fining a woman in Kushtia through illegal arbitration and fatwas.
Saying that such incidents are creating obstacles in the path of women’s normal life and progress, the rights body strongly demanded that the administration take immediate and effective steps to implement the judgment of the High Court prohibiting extrajudicial punishment through illegal arbitration.
In a statement signed by Dr Fauzia Moslem and Maleka Banu, the organisation demanded the prompt arrest of those involved in the above incidents and the ensuring of appropriate punishment.
They also urged the administration to take necessary steps, including making local public representatives aware, and to build a social movement to prevent all kinds of misdeeds and violence against women.
The statement came based on media reports that a 40-year-old housewife in Kushtia was stripped and tortured after being tied to a tree by local men and women.
They also cut off her hair and looted her house following an arbitration at Mirzapur village in the Shilaidaha area of Kumarkhali Upazila on June 9.
They alleged that she stole valuables from several houses without citing any evidence. After brutal torture, she was forced to give two cows, a goat, and her gold ornaments as a fine in arbitration.
Moreover, the perpetrators filmed the torture and spread the videos on social media to defame her.
Later, she was taken to the upazila health complex for treatment.
On June 10, the woman filed a case against seven people of the village with the Kumarkhali police station.
The next morning, the police arrested three women accused in the case around 9am and brought them to the police station. The trio are Mukti Khatun, wife of Ripon; Parvin Khatun, wife of Momin; and Lipi Khatun, wife of Bakkar.
Then, several hundred villagers surrounded the police station from 11am to snatch the arrestees, leading to a scuffle.
Later, the police took the accused to court in the OC’s pickup car amidst tight security.
In the case, the plaintiff said: “The villagers have wronged me by conspiring to stage a theft drama. Everyone is forcing me to withdraw the case.”
She said more than a hundred locals were holding and thrashing her. Some were removing her saree while others ripped her blouse. They were rejoicing while torturing her.
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