A woman with her child, visited the residence of a police constable in Bahadurpur village of Jashore Sadar on Thursday to demand her rights as a wife, accusing him of abuse, dowry demands and abandoning her after marriage.

The woman, Sharmin Akter, said she arrived in the morning from Tangail and began her protest in front of the house of Constable Sadman Hossain Rakib.

She alleged that as soon as Sadman’s mother saw her, she locked the house and fled.

Sharmin declared she would not leave the house until her demand is fulfilled. “I will stay here until death if needed,” she added.

Sharmin alleged that she met Sadman through Facebook in 2017, when he was unemployed.

After he joined the Khulna RRF as a constable, they married in 2022.

Her family gave gold, furniture and items worth Tk 6 lakh at the time of marriage, she claimed.

Sharmin lived with Sadman in rented houses in Kushtia and Chuadanga, where he was posted.

During that time, she became pregnant and due to illness she returned to her parents’ home in Tangail.

Sharmin said she later discovered that Sadman had another wife, a fact he hid before marrying her.

She alleged that Sadman then demanded Tk 5 lakh as dowry and began abusing her when she refused.

Later, when she could not provide the money, he stopped all communication with her.

On April 17, when Sadman visited her family in Tangail, he told them he would not take Sharmin and their child back unless he received the Tk 5 lakh.

Later, Sharmin filed a case in a Tangail court and also complained to the Khulna DIG.

Although the DIG ordered an inquiry, no action has been taken yet, she claimed.

Instead, she alleged that Sadman has been threatening her.

Her family is struggling to support her and the child, pushing her to seek justice directly from her in-laws’ home.

Locals later persuaded Sadman’s mother to return and spoke to both sides. After several hours, they convinced Sharmin to return home with promises of help.

They assured her that they would speak to Sadman’s family about the matter.

Later in the afternoon, Sharmin left the village with her child.

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Constable Sadman Hasan admitted Sharmin was his wife, but claimed he divorced her three months ago, and also acknowledged that the child is his.

He added that Sharmin has filed a case in court and lodged a complaint with the Khulna Range office and a departmental inquiry has begun against him.

He also said that the matter will be settled through the court, but he will not take her back home.