House help tortured in Dhaka, 1 held

Police today arrested one person in connection with a case filed over torturing a house help in Dhaka’s Jatrabari area.

The arrestee was identified as Rajib, a fish warehouse owner, police said, adding that the other accused in the case, Rajib’s wife Dilara, was absconding.  

Ten-year-old Mala used to work as a house help at Dilara and Rajib’s home in Kutubkhali area of Jatrabari since the last two years, said her aunt Suma Begum.

On January 10, Dilara, a senior staff nurse at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, allegedly tortured the girl by tying her up and then injuring her legs with a hot metal kitchenware, blaming her over a trivial matter. She then smeared pepper on the burnt wound of the victim, her aunt alleged.

At one stage, when the girl could hardly take the torture anymore, she accepted the blame.

Dilara then allegedly threatened the girl not to disclose the matter to Rajib, and left her without being treated.

On Friday, the victim managed to escape when she was sent to a shop to buy groceries, and went to her uncle’s house in Dania area.

Later, her relatives admitted her to DMCH burn unit.

Mala’s aunt Suma Begum also filed a case on Friday accusing Dilara and her husband with Jatrabari Police Station in this connection, said Mazharul Islam, officer-in-charge of Jatrabari Police station.   

Police arrested Rajib in the case today, while his wife is absconding, the OC said, adding that the law enforcers are trying to arrest Dilara.