Public outcry over Jhenidah couple 'murder'

An alliance of five Jhenidah human rights bodies under the banner of Lokmorcha (people's alliance) formed a human chain, staged a sit-in, brought out a procession in the town and submitted memorandum to the district administration on Saturday for arrest of the culprits.

The alliance threatened of tougher agitation if the culprits are not arrested by Thursday.

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Nazrul Islam and his wife Asma Khatun were fatally burnt in a fire incident while they were asleep in their house on the night of January 26 at Daharpukuria village in the Sadar upazila.

Nazrul died next day while being taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). Asma died at DMCH burn unit on February 3, after seven days' fight for life.

Immediately after the incident, Nazrul's elder brothers informed police that the fire had originated from a electric short circuit.

But following Asma's statement to her father Akkas Ali before her death, he filed a murder case with Jhenidah Sadar thana alleging that it was an incident of arson.

He accused Nazrul's elder brother Golam Murtaza, his wife Tahmina Khatun and Tahmina's brother Haider Ali in the alleged arson.

Soon after the incident, Jhenidah Police Superintendent (SP) Akram Hossain visited the spot and assured of proper investigation and action.

Talking to this correspondent, Akkas Ali alleged that the culprits are moving in the area.

When asked, Sadar thana Officer-in-Charge (OC) Azizul Huq said hunt is on to nab the culprits.

Police on February 7 sought CID's (Criminal Investigation Department) help to find clues to the incident and to determine what type combustible material was used in the fire incident. But nothing was found till yesterday, police sources said.