Rumana Monzur is an assistant professor of

Dhaka University The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...

, a

Fulbright The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...

scholar and a graduate student in

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...

from

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public university, public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks a ...

. In June 2011, she was brutally attacked and blinded by her husband at the time Hasan Sayeed Sumon during a visit to her home country

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

. Her husband assaulted her because she wanted to continue higher education in Canada against his wishes. He justified this assault to the Bangladeshi media by alleging that Rumana had been unfaithful. Her case caught widespread media attention around the world due to ongoing domestic violence against women in

and violation of the fundamental right of education. Rumana returned to

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

in July 2011 for further treatment but surgeries in both her eyes were unsuccessful, leaving not much hope for her to see ever again. Rumana's ex-husband died in prison in December 2011. She, nevertheless, continued her studies and in 2017 she received a degree in law from

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. She has now an advisory job at the

Department of Justice Canada The Department of Justice (french: Ministère de la Justice) is a department of the Government of Canada that represents the Canadian government in legal matters. The Department of Justice works to ensure that Canada's justice system is as fair, ...

References

External links

Blinded student returns to UBC for treatment'I screamed, 'Save me, save her,' blinded UBC student recounts
* ttp://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=194596 Rumana won't see, ever {{DEFAULTSORT:Monzur, Rumana Living people Violence against women in Bangladesh Year of birth missing (living people) University of British Columbia alumni Blind scholars and academics Blind lawyers Bangladeshi people with disabilities