Man in court over murder of wife as she pushed pram

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Habibur Masum is accused of murdering his wife Kulsuma Akter

The husband of Kulsuma Akter, who was stabbed to death as she pushed her baby in a pram in Bradford, has appeared in court charged with her murder.

Habibur Masum, 25, from Burnley, was charged on Wednesday, after a three-day manhunt ended in his arrest on Tuesday.

Mr Masum, of Leamington Avenue, has also been charged with possession of a bladed article.

He appeared at Bradford Magistrates’ Court earlier and was remanded to appear at the crown court on Friday.

Wearing a grey sweatshirt, Mr Masum spoke only to confirm his name, age and address during the six-minute hearing.

Ms Akter, 27, was found seriously injured at about 15:21 BST on Saturday when officers were called to Westgate in the city centre.

She was taken to hospital but later died. Her baby son was not harmed in the attack.

Mr Masum appeared in the dock at Bradford Magistrates’ Court

Ms Akter’s cousin Aftab Miah told the BBC she had come to the UK from Bangladesh two years ago with her husband, Mr Masum, who was studying in the UK.

West Yorkshire Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) as it had prior contact with Ms Akter before she died.

Mr Masum was arrested in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, in the early hours of Tuesday.

A 23-year-old man arrested in the Cheshire area on Monday on suspicion of assisting an offender has been released on bail, West Yorkshire Police said.

Four other men were arrested in Aylesbury on suspicion of assisting an offender and drug offences.

The men aged 23, 26, 28 and 29, from the West Midlands area, are currently in custody, the force added.

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