Unfair demands of DB men force woman to attempt suicide

A pregnant woman has attempted suicide by taking poison allegedly after failing to give bribe to Detective Branch (DB) members who threatened to indict her son in a drug peddling case. Jessore General Hospital’s Senior Staff Nurse Chameli Begum told the Dhaka Tribune that their patient Sabina Begum, 32, wife of Abdul Gafur Mian from Shahartali area in Jessore town, was under treatment and an ultrasonography  was done on her to learn the condition of the foetus. Sabina attempted suicide by taking some insecticide at her residence on Monday morning. Talking to reporters at her hospital bed, Sabina claimed DB Sub-Inspectors Biplob Hossain and Alamgir Hossain had arrested her husband Gafur several times in the past in cases for drug peddling and the family had to pay some bribes to the SIs to release him from the DB custody. Gafur surrendered before the deputy inspector general of Jessore police in March this year and vowed to return to normal life. Some DB members reportedly visited Gafur’s house last Sunday and demanded money, threatening to frame charges against Gafur’s son in a yaba peddling case if the money was not given, according to Sabina. Officer-in-Charge of Jessore DB, Imaul Hauqe, denied the allegations, saying no police member had visited Gafur’s residence on Sunday. Gafur and all of his family members are involved in drug peddling, he said, adding that divisional steps would be taken against the accused police members, if the allegations are proved after investigation.