A man has been sentenced to death for the 2013 murder of his wife in Dhaka’s Mirpur.
Dhaka Special Judge’s Court Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman delivered the verdict in the case on Wednesday.
The death-row convict, Manik Mia Bapari, hailed from Shariatpur’s Shakhipur. In addition to the death sentence, he was also fined Tk 5,000.
The judge issued a warrant for Manik, who has been absconding since the trial began.
Manik lived in the Mirpur-10 section of Dhaka, became romantically involved with Sadia Afrin Rita, whose family hailed from Kushtia’s Bheramara, and married her.
The couple regularly argued over domestic issues. On Jan 12, 2013, Manik called Rita’s mother and told her that she had a ‘horrible temper’, claiming she had not returned home for two days. He said he would not be held responsible if something had happened to Rita.
On Jan 14, Rita’s mother went to Dhaka to see her daughter. The door to the house was locked. She contacted the landlord’s sister, who told her that Rita packed a bag and left the house after she argued with her husband.
Rita’s parents contacted their relatives in Dhaka in an attempt to find her. On Jan 17, police informed Rita’s father Motiar Rahman that she was dead and her body was at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Once they arrived at the morgue, they found that Rita’s head had been severed from her body. The body also had severe wounds on the right thigh, below the right knee and under the right armpit.
Motiar later learned that the landlord had reported a stench from the house Rita rented to the Mirpur Police Station. Police found the headless body in the bathroom. The head was found in a plastic drum.
Rita’s father Motiar filed a case over the incident on Jan 17. Mirpur Sub Inspector Mohammad Selim submitted a chargesheet against Manik on Apr 5 over the murder. On Apr 30, a court indicted the absconding Manik on the charges.
Assistant Public Prosecutor Ataur Rahman represented the state at the trial. Manik was found guilty on Wednesday after 17 of 18 witnesses gave their testimony.
