Asma Begum

At the age of 18, Asma Begum was married to a man who after their marriage tortured her for dowry money. After one year of marriage, Asma had a son, but he died of a fever seven days later. One and a half years later Asma had a daughter. Asma could no longer stand to be abused by her husband, she and her daughter left and went to her father’s house to live.

Asma’s husband followed her to her father’s house, and he filed a court case against Asma and her brother accusing them of stealing 50,000 taka. Asma also filed a case against her husband for dowry and abuse, and her husband was arrested for seven days until he was released on bail. The case against her husband is still running, but Asma’s husband wants Asma to come back to him. Asma has not returned to her husband, but she heard that he married another woman and had a child. Asma and her daughter continue to live in Asma’s father’s house, and Asma is able to provide for her family by working in the carpentry section of ISSD.

Asma’s husband continues to disturb her and begs her to come back to him, but Asma will never go back. Asma wants to divorce her husband, and if she can continue to work at ISSD, she will be able to support her daughter through the coming years.