Tortured domestic help hospitalised in Kushtia

A child named Chandni (10) of Kushtia has been brutally tortured by a housewife in Dhaka. Chandni, a domestic worker, is currently admitted to Khoksa Upazila Hospital. The tortured child is lying in the hospital bed with torture wounds on his body.

It was learned that ten-year-old child Chandni was sent to Dhaka as a domestic worker. But nine months later, on Wednesday (March 10), he returned to Kushtia with bruises on his body. Chandni was admitted to the hospital bed on Wednesday afternoon with torture wounds all over her body. Khoksa Upazila Hospital Medical Officer (RMO) Shamim Mahmud confirmed the matter on Thursday (March 11th) morning.

Chandni was the daughter of poor Tamiz Uddin Toza of Banagram Paschimpara in Khoksa upazila. According to the child's family sources, about nine months ago, Neshar Khatun, daughter of Masuduzzaman Rantu of the same village, took Chandni with her to work in Dhaka on the condition of a monthly salary of Tk 1,000 and food. But a few days after they were taken to Dhaka, they completely lost contact with Chandni's family.

Chandni, who was lying in a hospital bed in agony, said that the housewife started torturing her four days after she was taken to Dhaka. She had to do all the household chores from washing dishes, clothes and cleaning the house. She was abused verbally every now and then. After a fight at night, the housewife tied her hands and feet with a scarf and left her on the floor. Chandni's father Tamizuddin Toja said that they took Chandni to Dhaka against her will. Although the house owner was supposed to pay her monthly salary, she did no pay a single penny. During the last nine months they were not even allowed to communicate with Chandni.

Finally, under the pressure of the villagers, Chandni was returned to them on Wednesday. Khoksa Upazila Hospital Medical Officer (RMO) Shamim Mahmud said the girl already had signs of torture in various parts of her body. He has also become very weak physically due to continuous torture. Masuduzzaman Rantu, the father of housewife Nesha Khatun, claimed that the child was not tortured. These are rural conspiracies against them, he said.

The child's body was already bruised. Khoksa Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Kamruzzaman Talukder said the incident took place in Dhaka. The child has been admitted to the hospital. Legal action will be taken if a written complaint is received in this regard.