Bilkis, 22 years old girl of Village: Gaopara, Upazila: Bagha, District: Rajshahi

Bilkis, 22 years old girl of Village: Gaopara, Upazila: Bagha, District: Rajshahi got free from chain with the assistance of 'Shaw Unnayan', the partner organization of Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers' Association (BNWLA) after passing 15 days in misery. This unfortunate girl was being kept in a dark cattle house with goats and cows by her stepmother Monwara Begum and food was given to her twice a day; once in the morning and in the mid-night. Informed by a news published on the daily "Prothom Alo" Abu Bakre Siddique, coordinator, Liakot Ali, Field Officer and Moklesur Rahman, Field Trainer of Shaw "Unnayan" visited Bilkis's house and saw that she was in chain with 4 locks. They managed to open 3 locks and another was opened with the assistance of local police who were informed by them.

Bilkis mentioned to the human rights workers that her stepmother beat and confined her with the assistance of two neighbors. After divorce, her stepmother spent thirty four thousand taka of her dower money and restricted her children to meet her. In this regard Monowara Begum told that Bilkis was not in sound mind and she was under treatment. When the human rights worker urged for medical report, she failed to place it. In this way Bilkis was rescued by the human rights worker and police and was sent to the BNWLA's shelter home at Rajshahi and lodged a G.D at Bhagha police station, Rajshahi in this regard. Currently Bilkis is leading her normal life at home.




Sultana's dream of getting justice.


Sultan Razia got married with Akhtar Uddin Bhuyian in 2001. Bhuiyan worked in Kuwait and came to Bangladesh during his vacation and got married in the meantime. Three months after the wedding, Bhuiyan started torturing Razia both physically and mentally. After that Bhuiyan left for Kuwait and sent a divorce letter. Razia accepted the divorce but she filed a complain against Bhuiyan at the office of Women Development Organization (WDO), a partner organization of BNWLA by demanding 475 thousand Taka as dower money, maintenance and ornament which she left at her in-laws house when Bhuiyan left for Kuwait. WDO could not solve the problem at first since the opponent party did not agree to sit at WDO office at Netrokona. They wanted to sit at the office of BNWLA at Dhaka where WDO could also be present. Field Trainer of WDO, Mr. Abdur Rashid facilitated this discussion. At last the problem was solved through amicable settlement. The opponent party paid 166 thousand Taka in cash and retuned the ornaments, which had a value of 175 thousand Taka to Razia. After receiving the amount of money and ornaments she told that she wouldn't get this justice if she had to go to court.

Last Updated ( Monday, 22 December 2008 )