Home ›› 26 Mar 2022 ›› Nation
Once a domestic abuse survivor, Anju Ara Akther Ratna, has become an inspiration to other survivors as she could rewrite her fate with grit and perseverance. With the help of the One-Stop Crisis Center, based on Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, she was able to find justice against her oppressors and also became an entrepreneur.
Ratna was subjected to repression, physical and psychological abuse by her ex-husband and in-laws and narrowly survived after being fatally injured in her ex-husband, she said, adding that her pain became her motivation to do something in life and help other survivors.
Ratna was married-off in 2002 with a considerable quantity of dowry gifted by her poor parents to fulfil her in-law’s requirements in the marriage. Her poor parents gave gold, furniture, a bicycle and Tk 20,000 cash as dowry to her husband, but her in-laws were not satisfied yet. Just a few days after her wedding, they started pressuring her for more dowry. As she declined, they were becoming more violent towards her, verbally and physically abusing her every second day.
She was being severely beaten up by her husband on a regular basis even when she was pregnant for four months, and none of her in-law’s family came to save her. The neighbours came to protect Ratna and sent her to a relative house. Later, she was sent to a hospital.
The story of Ratna could stop here. But, her real story began from here, and she regained her health after getting month-long treatment from the One-Stop Crisis Center of RMCH. She lodged a case with the Mahanpur police station against her husband, and the police arrested her husband- Milan and his family members.
Ratna didn’t know what would happen in future. But, one day, she was called by the crisis centre, and they helped her to get empowered. She learnt boutique work and started a business. And now, she is running two businesses - a beauty parlour and a boutique house. She is now passing her days happily along with her school-going boy.
Ratna said, “It was not so easy to become successful in my life. My husband and his family members tried to kill me. But I escaped. After lodging the case, I had fallen into different problems. They forced me to withdraw the case. Even they threatened to kill me. But, I was determined.”
She said there is also another reason. “And it was my child. I wanted to do something for my child. I also need to be empowered to encourage other women,” she said.
Human rights activist Advocate Monowara Haque said Bangladesh is now a role model in women empowerment before the globe. And it is possible only for the willpower and time-befitting steps of the Awami League government, she added.
She said women now hold many top positions in different sectors and discharge their responsibilities with utmost sincerity. Women don’t want to be left behind any longer, she added.
