A couple has alleged that they were chained in from outside while asleep and their home set on fire, in Sakhipur, Tangail. When the fire spread, they escaped with their lives by cutting through the tin wall of the house. A man, Lal Mia, 50, was injured in the incident and is undergoing treatment at the upazila health complex.
The incident occurred around 3 a.m. Friday night, August 21, at Lal Mia’s home in the Gorgobindapur Ukhariachala area, Ward 6, Sakhipur municipality.
Lal Mia, the victim, said his wife suddenly saw fire around the house at night and woke him up. When they went to open the door to get out, they found it chained from outside. By then, the fire had spread on all sides. The house filled with smoke and the smell of petrol, plunging it into darkness.
Lal Mia then used a machete kept in the house to cut through the tin wall and got his wife out with him. He was injured in the process and was later admitted to Sakhipur Upazila Health Complex.
Lal Mia’s wife, Begum Akhtar, 45, alleged that they have a land dispute with a local neighbor.
She said the same neighbors had threatened to burn her husband to death just days earlier. She claimed the fire caused 1 million to 1.2 million taka in damage.
Local resident Mehedi Hasan said the family suffered extensive losses in the fire and has been left nearly destitute. He called for a proper investigation to identify and bring to justice those responsible for setting the fire.
Sohel Rana, group leader of Sakhipur Fire Service and Civil Defence, said fire service personnel went to the scene after receiving the news and brought the fire under control. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
Azharul Islam, inspector (investigation) at Sakhipur police station, said police have inspected the scene, and that legal action will be taken pending investigation once a complaint is filed.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report