Pabna Correspondent, Dhaka Times
Published: 05 July 2025, 22:59
A 22-year-old man in western Bangladesh suffered severe injuries after reportedly amputating his own genitals following a dispute with family members over marriage, local authorities and medical officials said.
The incident occurred on June 26 in Maniknagar village, in the Bera subdistrict of Pabna District, according to family members and local officials. The man, identified as Nazmul, remains under medical care at Pabna General Hospital.
Relatives and neighbors said Nazmul, who works as an excavator operator, had long resisted repeated suggestions from family members that he should marry. On the day of the incident, an argument reportedly broke out after relatives again raised the subject.
According to accounts provided by family members, Nazmul later purchased a razor blade from a local market, went into a bathroom and inflicted severe injuries on himself. Family members rushed him to a local health complex after hearing his cries for help. He was subsequently referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for specialized treatment.
Medical intervention was delayed, local officials said, and doctors were ultimately unable to reattach the severed tissue.
Several neighbors, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Nazmul had frequently faced pressure from relatives to marry despite repeatedly expressing reluctance. Some residents also alleged that he had recently been subjected to derogatory comments questioning his gender identity, although those claims could not be independently verified.
Mohammad Rafique, an elected representative of the local union council, confirmed the incident and said that administrative and procedural delays complicated efforts to secure immediate treatment. By the time surgery was performed, he said, the critical window for reattachment had passed.
Nazmul’s father said his son had previously experienced mental health difficulties but had shown signs of improvement following treatment. He said the family was struggling to understand what led to the incident.
“It is natural for people to discuss marriage with a young man of his age,” the father said. “But we do not know why he made such a decision.”
Dr. Zahidul Islam, a resident physician at Pabna General Hospital, said the patient’s surgery had been completed in Dhaka and that his condition was now stable.
“He is no longer in immediate danger,” Dr. Islam said. “We are continuing to monitor him and provide the necessary treatment.”
The case has drawn widespread attention in the local community and renewed discussion about the social pressures surrounding marriage, gender expectations and mental health in Bangladesh.
