Maid's death sparks protest in Banasree

A house maid's death in Dhaka's Banasree has sparked protest among locals, which grew violent and turned to a tense standoff against police for hours throughout the evening.

The deceased was identified as one Laily Begum, 25, a resident of capital’s Khilgaon, who used to work as a maid at house 14, road 4 in Banasree.

According to sources, her employer Moeen Uddin took Laily, a part-time maid at his house, to Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 11:00am and said she hanged herself.

Police force trying to bring the situation under control after the death of a house help sparks protest at Banasree area of Dhaka on August 4, 2017. Photo: Prabir Das

After doctors declared her dead, locals took to the street saying it was not a case of suicide and protested in Banasree area. It soon turned violent with vandalism and arson, met by police action.

Police forces were sent to the spot to bring the situation under control, a sub-inspector and duty officer of Khilgaon Police Station Suman Chandranath told The Daily Star.

Locals banging at the gates of the house where the woman died. Photo: Prabir Das

One private car was set alight during the protest. Police fired several canisters of tear gas to quell the protesters. Last reported, locals had cleared the area after hours of fighting police.

Khilgaon Police Station Officer-in-Charge Kazi Mainul Islam told The Daily Star they detained the house owner Naeem Uddin and a guard for questioning in this connection.

Fire fighters from Khilgaon unit Fire Service and Civil Defense rushed to the spot to douse the blaze that completely gutted a private car, fire service headquarters said.

These two children are the children of the woman. They are named Mariam and Atiqur. Photo: Prabir Das