"Please make me senseless, I can't bear the pain," begged Laila as her mother helplessly held her head.

With 99 percent burns, Rahela Begum Laila, 30, was admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) yesterday morning.

"Her condition is extremely critical," said Mrinal Kanti Das, head of Burn and Plastic Surgery unit of CMCH, as Laila, a readymade garment worker, lay on bed, writhing in pain and struggling for her life.

Her family members alleged that her husband set her on fire by pouring kerosene.

The incident occurred at the foot of the hill of Sher Shah Bangla Bazar area in Chittagong around 9:00am yesterday.

"She married Yusuf two months ago without our consent," said Rabeya Begum, her mother, adding, "Yusuf was unemployed and frustrated, he quarrelled with Laila constantly and tortured her. At one stage of the quarrel he dragged her to the foot of the hill adjacent to their rented house and set her on fire."

Monir Hossain, a cousin of Laila, told The Daily Star that after hearing from the neighbours over the phone, the family members rescued and rushed her to CMCH.

Police detained Yusuf. He claimed that he did not burn Laila or know anything about how she was burnt, said police quoting Yusuf. Mohammad Mohsin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bayezid Bostami Police Station, said during primary interrogation, Yusuf said Laila was "crazy" and she herself might have "poured kerosene" on her body and "burnt herself".

A case was filed in this regard against Yusuf, Mohammad Ali, his brother, and Kafiluddin, his father, said the OC.