Manikganj woman burned to death for dowry: Convict husband arrested after 21 years

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab-4) have arrested a fugitive convict, who was sentenced to death in a case filed for burning his wife to death by pouring gasoline on her body in Singiar upazila of Manikganj in 2001.

The arrestee, Md Alam of Atipara village of Singiar-- remained absconding for 21 years to avoid the death sentence, said Lt Commander Arif Hossain, camp commander of Rab-4.

Acting on a tip-off, a Rab team arrested Alam from a shoe factory in Dhaka's Bangshal last night (August 13, 2022), the Rab official told our Manikganj correspondent.

After coming out jail on bail, Alam changed his identity and started living in Dhaka. He married for the second time and lived with his wife and son in the capital's Tikatuli area, said the Rab official.

Preparations are underway to hand him over to Singiar Police Station this evening, the official added.

According to Rab-4 in Manikganj, on September 5, 2001, Alam poured petrol on his wife Ambia Begum and set her on fire at Atipara village in Singiar demanding dowry.

The next day, Ambia died while undergoing treatment at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

On November 30, 2003, a judge of Manikganj Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal sentenced Alam to death in the murder case filed by the victim's father.