The daughter-in-law of a former lawmaker died yesterday under mysterious circumstances, with the ex-MP’s family claiming that it was suicide while the family of the deceased claimed that the girl was strangled.
Twenty-four-year-old Dr Shamaruf Mahzabin Kona, the daughter-in-law of former Jessore 5 constituency lawmaker Khan Tipu Sultan, was allegedly found hanging in the bathroom of her in-law’s Dhanmondi house in the afternoon.
Kona’s mother-in-law Jesmin Ara Begum, who is also a doctor at the city’s Holy Family Hospital, said Kona went out in the morning and returned home around noon and locked her bedroom from the inside. When Kona did not respond to the domestic help’s calls for lunch, the door was broken and Kona’s body was found hanging in the washroom.
“She hanged herself with her scarf from the washroom window,” claimed the mother-in-law. Later, Jesmin rushed her to the Central Hospital where doctors declared her dead at around 3:30pm.
However, Kazi Firozur Rahman, uncle of the deceased, claimed that Kona’s in-laws were staging a drama after killing her. Claiming that Kona’s knees were touching the floor when she was found in the washroom, he also pointed out that it was not possible for a person’s leg to be touching the ground if they had committed suicide by hanging. The family would discuss whether a case would be filed, the uncle said.
Kona’s father Nurul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that her daughter often complained to him about her in-laws barring her from sitting for the BCS exams and opposing her decision to study for an FCPS degree. Nurul added that he spoke to Kona for around half an hour in the morning yesterday, when Kona also expressed discontent about how her in-laws treated her.
The death of Kona - who had earned an MBBS degree from the Holy Family Hospital - was a planned murder by Tipu Sultan, the father claimed.
Abu Bakkar Siddique, officer-in-charge at Dhanmondi police station, said: “In primary examination, we found only a black spot on Kona’s throat and no other injury mark. However, we have sent her body to the Dhaka Medical College for autopsy.”
The OC added that Kona’s husband – Humayun Sultan – was called to the police station for interrogation where he told the police that he had a fight with Kona on Wednesday night centring an anonymous phone call. Humayun, however, told the police that the couple had put an end to the matter the same night.
Asked about the incident, Humayun refused to elaborate on the issue to the Dhaka Tribune, saying he had submitted a written statement to the police.
Asked about the incident, Abdul Baten, deputy commissioner of police of Ramna division, refused to comment before getting the autopsy report. Without terming the death a suicide or a murder, Baten said investigation was under way.
Meanwhile, commenting on the death of her daughter-in-law, Tipu Sultan said he was outside the house the entire day and was notified about Kona’s death over phone.
Asked about his son’s possible involvement in the death, Tipu said if his son was found guilty he would have no objection to see him being tried.