Rumana Monzur, an assistant professor of the International Relations Department in Dhaka University who was brutally tortured by her husband Hasan Syeed, denied his allegation of infidelity at a press conference on Tuesday.
‘Please, do not believe in his allegation. I am urging you to look for the truth. Ask those with whom I stayed during my days abroad,’ said Rumana, bursting into tears at the crowded press briefing organised by her family in LabAid Specialised Hospital in Dhanmondi.
The mother of five-year-old Anushe also demanded justice for her husband’s inhuman torture which has blinded her for life.
Rights activist, academics, columnists and lawyers were also present at the press conference, the first called by Rumana since her husband on June 5 beat her up mercilessly and tried to gouge out her eyes.
The gruesome incident was highlighted by the press on June 12 as the victim’s father had wanted to avoid any publicity for the sake of the family’s reputation.
Rumana, who is doing post-graduate work at the University of British Columbia in Canada, was taken to India for treatment on June 14, and Syeed was finally caught by the police on June 15 after the High Court ordered them to bring him to book.
Rumana’s father, Major (Retd) Monzur Hossain, filed a case with Dhanmondi thana on June 6 against Syeed who remained in hiding for 10 days and was later arrested from a relative’s residence in Uttar Mugda.
Syeed, after being arrested, alleged that his wife had an affair with an Iranian during her stay in Canada.
When the media raised the allegation at Tuesday’s briefing, the rights activists present shouted, ‘Shame, shame’.
Terming the allegation of ‘infidelity’ as a typical weapon of patriarchy, the attendees called upon the media not to emphasise it.
Cultural personality Sara Zaker alleged that it is unfortunate and ‘shameful’ that most men still possess the brutal mentality of beating up their wife if they suspect them of having an affair with another man.
Khushi Kabir said that the media’s publicising of the allegation of infidelity was ‘insensitive’ and it should emphasise Syeed’s brutality rather than soil the victim’s character.
Columnist Rehnuma Ahmed said that the media should be more ‘sensitised’ in addressing the issue. ‘It is Rumana who is the victim. She should not be the one who has to defend herself,’ she pointed out.
Rumana returned home last month for research work and planned to return to Canada after three months.
After being brutally mauled by her husband on June 5, Rumana underwent treatment at LabAid Specialised Hospital in Dhaka and went to Chennai in India on June 14 for better treatment of her eyes.
She returned from India on June 20 after eye specialists there found no cure for her eyes.
Rumana was examined by eye specialists both at Sankara Nethralaya in Chennai and Aravind Eye Hospital in Pondicherry.
‘Her eyes will not recover unless a miracle happens’, said Rumana’s father Monzur Hossain.
Since the news was flashed in the media, a number of human chains and demonstrations were staged at home and abroad, demanding exemplary punishment of Hasan Syeed.
Source : New Age
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