Bradford murder accused threatened to kill Kulsuma Akter
A man who stabbed his wife to death in front of their baby after tracking her to a women's refuge had previously threatened to "kill her if she ever left him", a court has heard.Kulsuma Akter, 27, died after suffering multiple stab wounds in an attack by her husband Habibur Masum while she was pushing their seven-month-old son in a pram in Bradford in April 2024. In a statement read to Bradford Crown Court, Ms Akter's sister-in-law, Minara Begum, said arguments had escalated between the couple and Mr Masum had made several threats to kill her.Mr Masum, 26, of Leamington Avenue, Burnley, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a bladed article, but has denied a charge of murder.
In her statement, Ms Begum said the couple had married in Bangladesh and moved to the UK in March 2022 so Mr Masum could continue his studies.She said they "both seemed happy" and Mr Masum seemed "quite obsessed with" Ms Akter, who started working at Park Cakes in Oldham."Masum was not too keen on Kulsuma working, but she would worry about paying the bills," Ms Begum said.
Mr Masum had stopped Ms Akter wearing make-up and checked her phone to see who she was talking to, Ms Begum said in her statement.She told the court that after arguments between the couple had escalated to a "serious level", Ms Akter went to stay with her.During that time, Mr Masum kept messaging Ms Akter "telling her he was going to do crazy things because she was with us and not at home, and kept asking her where the kitchen knife was," Ms Begum said.Her statement added: "After this happened, I told Masum his behaviour was not right and their relationship should not be this way."Masum did not like this coming from a woman, or me speaking to him this way."The court was told Ms Akter returned to her husband, but arguments between the pair "continued to get worse".Ms Begum said Mr Masum had made several threats to kill Ms Akter, adding: "She told me he would tell her if she ever left him he would kill her."The trial previously heard how Ms Akter was moved to a refuge after telling police her husband had assaulted her, held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her over a "completely innocuous" message she received from a male colleague at a factory.Ms Begum said that after the incident, Ms Akter told her: "He will be okay once he kills me."She added: "Following this assault, Kulsuma asked if Masum killed her would I look after [the baby] for her and take care of him."The trial continues.
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