‘I want protection’

It was around 1:30pm on April 10 when Tasnim Sarah Priya, 27, a resident of Uttara in the capital, was saying her prayer at their rented house.

Suddenly, she was startled by a loud noise from another room, which quickly escalated into a horrifying attack.

"My husband burst into the room and started slashing my face with a knife. I tried to defend myself, but he kept attacking," Priya told The Daily Star.

Priya was initially treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and was later admitted to Health and Hope Hospital in the capital, where she spent 20 days recovering from her severe injuries.

After receiving treatment, she was living with her mother in Uttara.

On May 22, Priya filed a case against her husband, Mohammad Roni, and three of his associates under the Suppression of Violence against Women and Children Act and the Dowry Prohibition Act.

The brutal attack left Priya's face severely disfigured, and she now avoids mirrors altogether.

"I can't bear to look at my face. Every scar terrifies me. I haven't been able to sleep at night since the attack," she said, breaking down in tears.

Roni, a trader who owns twelve shops across various districts including Dhaka and Chattogram, married Priya in November 2022. They have one child.

However, their marriage quickly turned abusive, with Priya enduring repeated physical and emotional torment.

"In the last few months, my husband forbade me from using Facebook and even restricted me from leaving the house," Priya said.

Defying these restrictions, Priya sought a divorce, which further enraged Roni.

"When I mentioned divorce, he became furious and assaulted me multiple times. One day, he came to my mother's house and attacked my face," Priya said.

After filing the case, Priya revealed that her husband had threatened her, demanding she withdraw the charges.

"On Tuesday night, Roni came to my house, shouting that he would kill me. To save my life, I posted a photo of my face, which went viral on social media," she said.

"I want protection. I've shared photos of my injuries on Facebook for my safety," she added.

Sub-Inspector Monirul Islam of Uttara West Police Station informed The Daily Star that Roni has not been arrested, as he is currently out on bail granted by the High Court.

Roni denied this allegation on Facebook live.