Dispute following rejected marriage proposal results in 1 death, multiple injuries

A tragic incident unfolded in Mollahat upazila, Bagerhat, where a disagreement over a marriage proposal led to violence, resulting in the death of a would-be groom's relative and injuries to over 15 people.

The altercation took place on Friday (12 April) evening in Mollahat upazila of Bagherhat.

The deceased, 45-year-old Azizul Haque Molla from Ichhamati village in nearby Terkhada upazila, Khulna district, was the brother-in-law of the prospective groom, Hafizur Rahman.

In response to the incident, police have detained the would-be bride's father, Shahadat Munshi, and her cousin, Swapna Khatun.

Mohammad Ali Gazi, father of the would-be groom, explained the sequence of events that led to the violence. "Our family approached Shahadat Munshi for his daughter's hand in marriage for my son, Hafizur. We visited their home in Gangni village, about 10 km from our residence, under the agreement that if Hafizur approved of the match, the marriage would proceed," Gazi said. 

He added that the visit turned sour when Hafizur decided against the marriage, and the party was ambushed by the would-be bride's neighbours as they left.

Azizul Haque Molla sustained fatal injuries during the attack, and fifteen others, including Hafizur, were also hurt. The body of the deceased has been sent to Bagerhat Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy.

Following the incident, Shila Begum, Molla's widow, filed a police complaint. Mollahat Police Station Officer-in-Charge SM Ashraful Alam confirmed the ongoing efforts to capture other individuals involved in the assault.