Murder of Hena Akhter

Background

Hena Akhter was the youngest of four children, living with her parents in a mud and plank house in the remote village of Chamta, which lacked electricity and running water. Her father, Darbesh Khan, worked as a farmer and day-laborer; her mother was Akleema Begum. The primary perpetrator, Mahbub Khan, was her married cousin and neighbor, living about 25 meters away.

Mahbub Khan had married Shilpi Begum through a village arbitration after allegedly raping her 15 to 20 years earlier. Two village arbitrations had addressed this behavior: the first resulted in a physical reprimand, and a second, about six months before Hena's death, fined him Tk 75,000. His wife feared he would take Hena as a second wife.

The Incident

On 23 January 2011, Hena Akhter went outside to use the bathroom and was intercepted by Mahbub Khan, who gagged her, moved her to an abandoned house, and raped her. Hearing her screams, Mahbub's wife Shilpi Begum arrived with her elder sister Jahanara and aunt-in-law Morsheda. They moved Hena into Mahbub's house and beat her, causing injuries including trauma below her left eye. Her father Darbesh Khan rescued her, but due to lack of money and intimidation, the family did not take her to a hospital that night.

The next day, Shilpi Begum called an illegal village arbitration council on the verandah of Mahbub's house. The panel included Shilpi's family, in-laws, and two local clerics. Hena's parents carried her to the council.

Shilpi accused Hena of starting the act and obtained a deed transferring land and a house to her name. The council issued a fatwa convicting both of adultery, sentencing Hena to 101 lashes and Mahbub to 200 lashes. A wet cotton towel was used as a whip. Mahbub ran away after receiving between four and twelve lashes.

Judicial proceedings

An investigative report on 7 February 2011 revealed that the first police inquest and hospital autopsy omitted signs of trauma on Hena's body. The High Court issued a suo sponte rule, ordering her body exhumed for a new autopsy at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, which confirmed death from homicidal injuries. The court criticized the local medical board and ordered an investigation into the doctors for negligence and hiding evidence. It also ordered legal and departmental action against Sub-Inspectors Aslam Uddin and Mirza AK Azad for altering the first case report and death inquest.

Police began arresting suspects; Mahbub Khan was arrested on 9 February 2011 in Savar. He gave a confession before the Shariatpur Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court. Hena's mother filed a second case under High Court orders on 11 February 2011, adding charges of rape, abduction, unlawful assembly, conspiracy, and torture. The Criminal Investigation Department took over both cases.

Reaction

The Bangladesh High Court took suo sponte action, ordering local officials in Shariatpur to explain why they failed to protect Hena Akhter. It directed the Ministries of Religious Affairs and Information and Broadcasting to launch a national campaign declaring extrajudicial fatwas and physical punishments unlawful. The court also instructed the Inspector General of Police to discipline officers who tampered with the original case files. The killing sparked nationwide outrage, with protests and human chains.

In Shariatpur, local groups demonstrated outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Human rights organizations condemned the death and called for an end to illegal village arbitrations. The Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association represented the family; lawyer Salma Ali highlighted systematic violence and collusion between police and hospital staff.