Habibur Masum, described as a 'monster' by the family of his victim, has been jailed for life for the brutal murder of his wife Kulsuma Akter in Bradford. The 26-year-old mother was stabbed more than 25 times in broad daylight while pushing her baby son in a pram on 6 April 2024. Masum showed no remorse, smiling broadly on CCTV after the attack and abandoning his child.
Sentencing at Bradford Crown Court, Mr Justice Cotter noted that Masum showed 'no interest' in the welfare of his baby son after the killing. The judge described Masum as 'violent, self-centred, jealous, controlling and coercive', and said he had stolen 'a precious young life in a brutal and merciless fashion'. Masum will serve a minimum of 28 years for murder.
The court heard how Akter had fled to a women's refuge in Bradford after Masum held a knife to her throat at their home in Greater Manchester. Masum tracked her using her phone location and sent threatening messages. He even sent fake GP appointment messages to lure her out of the refuge. On the day of the murder, he had pretended to be in Spain via social media to give her a false sense of security.
In a statement, Akter's family paid tribute to her as a 'much-loved daughter, sister, aunt and mother', saying her loss had left a 'gaping hole' in their lives. They said they would never forgive 'the monster who took Kulsuma from us' and that her baby son would only know her through their memories.
