Murder of housemaid: Couple gets life term

A Dhaka court sentenced one Nazrul Islam and his wife Rabeya Akter to life-term imprisonment in a case filed over the murder of their 11-year-old house-help Shilpi Begum in capital’s Kamalapur area.

Judge Md Iqbal Hossain of the Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 pronounced the judgment in presence of the two convicts on Tuesday (May 14) and sent them to jail with conviction warrant.

The court also fined them Tk 20,000 each, in default, they would have to suffer another six months in jail for the same.

Bence assistant of the court concerned Ariful Islam confirmed the sentence.

According to the case statements, Shilpi used to work at the house of Nazrul Islam and on February 22, 2006, her mother got information that Shilpi is in hospital, fighting for her life. Shilpi’s mother went to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and found her in critical condition. She learned from Nazrul’s neighbours that Nazrul and Rabeya used to assault Shilpi regularly and recently they beat on her head by iron rod and wooden stick.

Shilpi died of her injuries three days later at the hospital and her father later filed the case with Motijheel Police Station. Police on April 30, 2006, submitted charge-sheet against Nazrul and Rabeya and the court on April 26, 2007, framed charges against them.