Housewife beaten to death, another burnt alive

Star National Desk
Two housewives have been killed in separate incidents in Barisal and Manikganj districts. Of them, one was beaten to death while the other was burnt to death. In Barisal, a housewife was beaten to death allegedly by her husband in Muladi upazila yesterday. Police arrested Qaiyum Khan, 31, on charge of killing Nargis Begum, 24. Mother of four-year-old Jihad, Nargis was fifth wife of Qaiyum of Tero Char area under Muladi municipality. Police and locals said, Qaiyum, infamous for drug peddling and sex trade in the area, earlier married four times and divorced all after using them in immoral trade. On Wednesday night, Qaiyum allegedly brought a man to his home and tried to force his wife to entertain the guest. As she vehemently protested it, Qaiyum and the 'guest' left the house at around midnight. At about 3:00am yesterday Qaiyum came out home and raised a hue and cry alleging that his cousin Ismail beat Nargis dead. Locals detained both Ismail and Qaiyum and informed police. Sub inspector Mosharraf Hossain, second officer of Muladi police station, said Yunus Sardar, father of the victim, lodged a murder case accusing Qaiyum of killing Nargis. In Manikganj, a housewife was burnt to death at West Bandutia village under Municipality area on a day before Eid holiday. The victim was identified as Hos Nahar Khushi, 43, wife of retired army man Mizanur Rahman of the village. Mizanur Rahman, said his wife took meal with the entire family members at around 9:00pm. After meals she went to another room for taking betel leaf and after a while went out for visiting a neighbour's house. "At around 9:40pm my daughter and son heard Khushi screaming beside the house. We opened the door and found her in a fire allover the body", Mizanur Rahman said. "We tried to douse fire with the help of water but in the meantime her body burnt severely", he added. Victim's daughter Nila, 18, also narrated the same story. Family members said Khushi was taken to Manikganj Sadar Hospital at around 10:30pm. She died on way to Dhaka Medical College Hospital at around 11:30pm, police said. Officer-in-charge (OC) of Manikganj police station Azizul Haque said he and high police officials visited the spot and found a can of kerosene oil there. A UD case has been filed with the police station on Friday and police are investigating the case, OC said. Hos Nahar Khushi, 43, daughter of late Rahman Hawlader of Abirpara village under Sirajdikhan upazila in Munshiganj district, was married to Mizanur Rahman of West Bandutia village in Manikganj 27 years ago. She was mother of two daughters and a baby son.