College girl fighting for life at hospital

A freedom fighter's daughter is fighting for her life at the ICU in Dhaka Medical College Hospital after she was set on fire, allegedly by her father's rivals, on August 19.

Victim Mukti Khatun, 22, daughter of Freedom Fighter Mozammel Haque of Nagdemra in Santhia upazila, is a 2nd year student of Philosophy in Pabna Edward College. She was shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital ICU the same night.

“During the Liberation War, I saw inhuman torture when men and women were burnt to death and houses were set on fire keeping them inside. But I never imagined that such brutality would strike my family in independent Bangladesh,” Mozammel told this correspondent over phone while describing the burning of his daughter, allegedly by local Awami League (AL) men.

Earlier, a group of people, led by local ward unit AL President Abdus Salam, allegedly attacked Mukti's house when she and female family members were in the house.

Santhia Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Abdul Mazid said there was a longstanding enmity between Mozammel and his neighbour Md Abdus Salam, also the local union unit AL leader, over capturing a water body in the village.

Both groups locked in several clashes earlier and separate cases were filed against both of those.

Mukti was set on fire due to previous enmity with her father and she is in critical condition as over 60 percent of her body was burnt, the OC said.

Victim's father filed a case on August 20, accusing 32 people. The key accused are Salam and local influential AL leader Jahed. They went into hiding after the incident, the OC said.

Police arrested 24 people and all are Salam's men, the OC said, adding that police are alert to arrest the key accused, but they are yet to be traced out.

Additional police have been deployed in Mozammel's house to ensure security of the family, the OC added.

“I want exemplary punishment of the culprits so that nobody dares to commit such crimes again,” Mozammel said, alleging that Salam, Jahed and their operatives  have been committing crimes in the area since long, but nobody dares to protest them due to their political power.