Title: A married couple (Nur Chehara and Harun Miah) was punished with 101 Dorrahhs  and restriction imposed up on  going out of their house.

Refference: Daily Shamakal, Date: 24.07.07 and Daily Prothom Alo, Date:25.07.07

Place of  incident: The incidence occurred about 60 to 70 km. away from Golachipa at Village Nalua, union Charmuntaz.

Summary of the incident: Two years back Nur Cehara, daughter of Hatem Miah from Goja Gram, Panpatti got married to Harun son of Quddus Mia from Uttar Char Lokhi. Their first child named Ador died after birth and Nur Chehara became very sick after the delivery of the child. However, it cost a lot of money for her treatment and on the basis of the high cost of treatment they were having arguments with each other often. One day, at one point of their argument out of anger Nur Chehara’s husband Harun uttered “talak” three times and as a result Nur Chehara left her husband’s place and went to her father’s house. After staying some days in her father’s place she went to Dhaka from where she called her husband by mobile phone and requested him to come to Dhaka. They stayed in Dhaka for one months and again came back to their home. Nevertheless, this time instead of going to their father in law’s place they stayed in a near by village and started pulling rickshaw for make their living. In this situation Harun’s father came to know about this matter and requested some influential people of the village to arrange a shalish in order to resolve this matter according to shariah so that his son and daughter in law can return  back home. On the basis of statement of Quddus Mia, some fotwabaz people of the locality arranged a shalish in the place of Khukumoni, member of the village. However, the decision of shalish was to punish the couple with 101 Dorrahh and they have to except hillah marriage and then after they would get married to each other again.

Statement of Khukumoni, member of the village: The member Khukumoni told that, she has come to know about the incident from Harun’s father. However, Harun’s father placed a request to them to solve the problem according to shariah. In this stage, some influential people of the village came to her house and arranged shalish regarding on the matter on 20/7/07. Finally, it has been decided by shalish that the couple were to  be punished with 101 Dorrahhh and also to get hillah marriage and then after they would get married to each other. Neverthe less,in reality  they barely slapped Harun for three or four times and arranged marriage in presence of local huzur named Nur Islam.  

Statement of the chairman: The chairman M.A.Matin told that he was not present in the village when the incident took place. Later on he came to know about the matter. Moreover, the chairman, told us that he heard from a reliable source that the couple was not punished by 101 Dorrah members of shalish beat Harun barely for two or three times with a wet ‘Gamcha’.

Statement of  the victim Nur Cehara: According to Nur Chehara’s statement, when her father in law learned that Nur Chehara and Harun Miah were living in a near by village he requested for shalish to solve this matter according to shariah. However, the couple was brought to their village and kept in two different housees. Later on, they were taken to member Khukumoni’s house were shalish was arranged. Although the decision of the shalish was to beat the couple with wet ‘Gamcha’, they barely slapped her husband for two to three times. Moreover, the shalish committee advised her to beg apology from her father in law and arranged marriage in the presence of local huzur. Finally, Nur Cehara went back to her father in law’s place.     

Statement of D.C: As we discussed regarding the incident to D.C of Potuakhali he assured BNWLA to look in to the matter.

SP Abu Raihan Choudhry: Mr. Abu Raihan Choudhry asked the O.C. of Rangabali Mr. Zakir to bring the couple to the thana in order to make investigation report via interrogation process. 

Comments: The couple Harun and Nur Chehara were deeply influenced by local influential fotwabaz and probably delivered their statement being pressurized by the same people. As Harun had been working for his living under those influential people of the village, he did not dare to speak against them. As a matter of fact, the couple was afraid of delivering the true statement. Though BNWLA carried out this difficult and costly investigation , could not took any legal steps against fotwabaz as the victimized couple was afraid to disclose the fact.