Elderly woman tortured by Bangladeshi employer in Singapore
An elderly female domestic help was tortured for over three months by a Bangladeshi couple in their second floor flat of a six-storey building in Singapore.
The couple sent the injured Salma Begum, 50, back to Bangladesh as she could not bear the brunt of the repression any more. Salma arrived at Shahjalal International Airport at 1.30am on Friday.
Salma was brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) burn unit on Friday evening by the people of Paikpara village in Tongibari upazila under Munshiganj district and relatives of the couple.
Salma told this correspondent at DMCH that the housewife poured hot water on her back, abdomen, hip and left hand about 10 days ago.
She said her neighbour Dalia and her husband Masum took her to Singapore as a domestic help about four and a half months ago for cooking and looking after their girl Ema, 6.
The couple used to rebuke her as she was unable to bear the burden of work, she said, adding that they started beating and torturing her after one and a half months in Singapore.
Masum forcefully cut her hair about one month ago and stabbed her on her hands with a scissor, alleging failure in her work, Salma said.
Dalia sprayed hot water on her body from a feeder and burnt part of her body with hot kitchen utensils about 10 days ago, she said. The couple also used to beat her with sticks, Salma accused.
Her condition deteriorated as the couple had not arranged her treatment, Salma said, adding that none came to help her when she used to scream in pain.
Dalia's father Abdul Aziz Mridha told this correspondent that his daughter and son-in-law made a phone call on Friday night, saying that Salma was returning home.
Mridha took Salma to their village home from the airport. Salma told him about her ordeals in Singapore.
Mridha said Salma is their neighbour and the local people got agitated hearing the incident.
Salma's son-in-law Dania Islam Danu told this correspondent that they want justice. Danu said they got Tk 16,000 only in four and a half months whereas her monthly salary was fixed at Tk 10,000.
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