9-year-old girl set on fire after ‘refusing indecent proposal’ in Barishal dies

A nine-year-old madrasah student has died after being set on fire at her home in Babuganj upazila of Barishal, with the child alleging before her death that the attack followed her refusal of an indecent proposal.

The incident took place around 12:30pm yesterday (15 March) at a house in Ward No 4 of Dehergoti union in the upazila.

The deceased, Raisa, was the daughter of day labourer Nazrul Islam and a third-grade student at a local madrasah.

According to relatives, Raisa’s father had gone out for work, leaving her alone at home. Neighbours said they rushed to the house after hearing her screams and found her body engulfed in flames.

She was rescued and first taken to the Babuganj Upazila Health Complex for primary treatment. She was later transferred to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital and subsequently sent to Dhaka for further treatment.

Raisa died at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery around 10:30pm last night.

In a video recorded before her death, Raisa was heard saying, “Sifat told me to do bad things. Because I did not listen, Sifat set fire to my body.”

The accused, Sifat, is the son of Jalal Sikdar, who lives in the same house, according to family members.

The child’s father, Nazrul Islam, demanded justice over the incident.

“I want justice for those who burnt my daughter to death. I left my daughter in the house in a healthy state,” he said.

Officer-in-Charge of Babuganj Police Station Sheikh Md Ehteshamul Islam said police had begun looking into the incident.

“I have heard the news of a child’s death due to burns. Enquiries are being made into the incident. Necessary action will be taken upon receiving a written complaint,” he said.