A 35-year-old woman consumed poison inside a courtroom in Bhola on Wednesday afternoon after misunderstanding a judge's ruling in her dowry case. Police immediately rescued her and admitted her to the Bhola 250-Bed General Hospital, where she is currently receiving treatment.
The incident occurred around 1:30 p.m. at the Senior Judicial Magistrate Court, presided over by Judge Sourav Roy Mithu.
The plaintiff, identified as Tarabhanu from Chhota Manika village in Borhanuddin Upazila, had filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act against her husband, Bahar Uddin, and several others for dowry-related abuse.
According to court officials and lawyers present, Wednesday was scheduled for framing charges. During the hearing, the judge ordered that the primary accused—Tarabhanu's husband—would remain on trial, but acquitted two other co-accused.
Misunderstanding the legal proceedings, Tarabhanu mistakenly believed her husband had also been cleared of the charges. Distraught by this false impression, she pulled a liquid substance from her bag and drank it in the middle of the courtroom.
Bhola Court Police Inspector Sheikh Md. Nasir Uddin confirmed the incident, stating that court police immediately intervened and rushed her to the hospital.
Dr. Arafatur Rahman, Resident Medical Officer at the Bhola General Hospital, stated that her condition is currently stable. "Necessary treatment is underway, though she requires further observation. We have not yet confirmed the exact nature of the liquid she consumed," he said.
Md. Faridur Rahman, President of the Bhola District Bar Association, noted that the tragic incident likely stemmed from a lack of legal literacy. "It appears the woman had no clear idea about the trial process and may have expected a final verdict today," he explained.
