Shivangi Sinha
Upon Muhammad Amin’s pronouncement of death following a stabbing incident, profound sorrow swept over the community, particularly for his recently wedded bride. He was a youthful and ambitious individual who had entered into matrimony just a few months earlier, and it seemed inconceivable that anyone would harbor ill intentions towards him. However, as the case unraveled, shocking and disturbing revelations began to emerge. The second episode of First Look TV’s ‘Meet Marry Murder’ explores the complex motives that can drive individuals to commit such heinous acts within the confines of matrimony. If you are intrigued by the story and want to know more about it, we have got all the information for you.
How Did Muhammad Amin Miah Die?
Muhammad Amin, at the time a kitchen porter employed at a West End casino, embarked on a new chapter in life at the age of 27 when he married Mahmuda Khatun. Together, they established their home in Bethnal Green, East London, marking the beginning of their shared journey. Mahmuda Khatun was born in Bangladesh and relocated to Britain with her family when she was 6. In 2001, when she was just 21 years of age, her family decided to get her married and a dowry of £1,500 from the groom’s family was also promised.
Mahmuda was characterized by her ambition and a strong drive for her career, a trait that often generated tension within her former marriage due to her fiercely independent nature. The situation deteriorated as her husband’s behavior allegedly turned physically abusive, culminating in their divorce in 2004. Following her divorce, Mahmuda embarked on a journey to carve out a life for herself, resolutely declining numerous marriage proposals sent by her family. During this period, she began to develop a close bond with a colleague while working as an optician’s shop assistant in Bow, East London.
Mahmuda was doing her best to be financially independent. However, familial pressures eventually led her down a different path. In July 2007, she entered into another arranged marriage with Muhammad Amin but was trying to build a life with him. In a shocking turn of events in August 2007, on Muhammad Amin’s 28th birthday, Muhammad was found stabbed to death in their Bethnal Green, East London, house. He had died almost instantly from the attack.
Who Killed Muhammad Amin?
In the aftermath of the murder, Mahmuda Khatun claimed to have been working late, followed by a visit to a hotel in Liverpool Street, conversations with friends, and a call to her mother. She told the police that when she came back, she was locked out of the house and when she looked in through the letterbox, she could see blood all over the walls in the hallway.
However, as the investigations progressed and the police looked into Mahmuda’s phone records, they found out she was lying. In a revealing conversation with the local imam, Amin had reportedly shared the profound challenges within their marriage. Amin had informed the local Imam that despite their shared home, Mahmuda maintained a stark emotional distance, refusing his touch, abstaining from the meals he prepared, and even avoiding sitting on the same sofa. It established that she was feeling dissatisfied in the marriage.
She also constructed a fictitious timeline to present to the police and even dialed her deceased husband’s phone number, seeking to exonerate herself from the crime she had committed. Crispin Aylett QC, the prosecutor, said, “The defendant set about creating a smoke screen that was designed to put her beyond suspicion.” The police concluded that, on Muhammad Amin’s 28th birthday, just 33 days after their marriage, Mahmuda arrived at their residence clad in a burqa, which was an uncommon sight for her. Beneath the concealing attire, she hid a knife. Mahmuda launched a vicious attack, lunging at her husband and delivering a fatal blow directly to his heart. Tragically, Amin’s life ended almost instantaneously.
She proceeded to tell the police that their heated argument had taken a tragic turn, and she accidentally stabbed Amin during the argument. Her lawyer, Barrister Kim Hollis QC, told the court that the conflict arose out of cultural friction and mismatch. She said, “She wanted the type of life which other women can have in the United Kingdom.” In August 2008, Mahmuda Khatun was found guilty of stabbing Muhammad Amin Miah to death.
Mahmuda Khatun is Still in His Majesty’s Prison
The Common Serjeant of London, Judge Brian Barker QC, refused to accept Mahmuda’s claims that her marriage had been forced upon her, leading to the tension that ultimately culminated in the tragic crime. He said, “There is really no possible excuse. What you have done has caused untold anguish to those that knew Amin, and in my view it was wicked. I have no doubt that much thought was put into your plans that evening, and you have lied continually during the course of this trial.” She was sentenced to a minimum of 17 years in prison.
In 2010, Mahmuda made an appeal for her case. Barrister Kim Hollis QC, who was representing her at London’s Criminal Appeal Court, claimed she had not premeditated the plan to attack her husband but had been forced to do so after significant provocation. She urged that Mahmuda’s conviction be brought down to manslaughter, but the judges dismissed the appeal. She was also contesting the 17-year jail term for Mahmuda but could not convince the judges to reverse that decision. Mahmuda is still in His Majesty’s prison and is set to be released in 2025.
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