Chattogram man sentenced to death for murdering his wife over dowry

Md Parvez was convicted of strangling his wife to death in 2018

A Chattogram court has sentenced a man to death for the murder of his wife by strangulation over a demand for dowry in 2018.

Judge Md Zakir Hossain of the Chattogram Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-4 delivered the verdict on Wednesday.

The convict, 31-year-old Md Parvez, hailed from Churamoni village in Chattogram’s Satkania.

“The court handed down the death penalty to Md Parvez for murdering his wife,” said Nikhil Kumar Nath, a state prosecutor.

“Parvez was present in court when the verdict was delivered. Afterwards, he was later sent to prison.”

According to the case dossier, Parvez -- the driver of a pickup truck for a brick yard -- married Rokeya Begum on Feb 2, 2018.

At the time of their wedding, Rokeya’s family gave Parvez Tk 300,000 as a dowry.

Despite this, Parvez demanded more dowry money from Rokeya at various times.

When he beat her to demand money, Rokeya informed her brother Mohiuddin.

Mohiuddin then gave Parvez another Tk 100,000, but he was still not satisfied. He abused Rokeya physically and mentally to demand another Tk 200,000.

On Apr 20, 2018, Rokeya told her mother that Parvez had beaten her with a stick. Hearing the news, Rokeya’s older sister Mostafa Begum called Parvez, who told her that Rokeya had a stroke.

Rokeya’s mother, sister, and aunt rushed to the house and found Rokeya’s body laid out on the bed. There were crescent-shaped bruises around her throat.

Parvez had already fled the building. The family informed the police, who then recovered the body.

Rokeya’s brother Mohiuddin filed a murder case accusing Parvez of strangling his wife to death over dowry.

The court delivered its verdict in the case on Wednesday after hearing the testimony of seven witnesses.