Lying on a hospital bed, 55-year-old Bulbuli Begum could barely keep her eyes open. Her right leg was swollen and there were bruises all over her hands. Doctor said there were many more injury marks on her body.
The elderly woman was tied to a tree and beaten mercilessly allegedly by her son in Satnai Balapara village of Nilphamari's Dimla yesterday morning. Her only "fault" was she did not let him take loans from others by mortgaging her land.
Bulbuli's husband Rafiqul Islam demanded immediate arrest of Liton, their 30-year-old son who went into hiding soon after the incident.
Rafiqul, 60, said his wife inherited some land from her father at some important places in the upazila. On several occasions, Liton took money from others after convincing Bulbuli to mortgage her property.
"I have two sons and my elder son [Liton] seems to be totally spoiled. He does many illicit things," he said.
"On Tuesday night, Liton again took Tk 50,000 from a person against a 15-decimal plot in Kharibari market area. At this, Bulbuli became furious and asked him to return the money."
Over the same matter, the mother and the son had a fight yesterday morning when there was no one else at home. At one point, Liton tied her to a tree on their yard and started to beat her with a stick. Bulbuli fainted a couple of minutes later, according to Rafiqul and witnesses, who wanted to remain unnamed.
Liton fled.
Their neighbours took Bulbuli to Dimla upazila health complex.
Talking to The Daily Star there, Bulbuli was fumbling for the right words. She could only say her attacker was her son.
Rasheduzzaman Rashed, residential medial officer at the hospital, said the woman was beaten brutally and was still traumatised.
Dimla Upazila Nirbahi Officer Nazmunnahar Begum said, “I'm shocked at the brutality against a mother by her own son. I have already visited the victim and advised her to file a case."
Moazzem Hossain, officer-in-charge of Dimla Police Station, said a case was filed against Liton with the police station last night.
"We are trying our best to arrest him," he added.
