22nd July 2025
Habibur Masum has today been sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 28 years, for the murder of 27-year-old Kulsuma Akter.
Kulsuma, a young mother, was fatally stabbed in April 2024 as she pushed her seven-month-old baby in a pram through Bradford city centre. She had been living in a refuge after fleeing an abusive and controlling marriage. Her child, though physically unharmed, is now left to grow up without his mother.
Masum, 27, of Burnley, was convicted last month at Bradford Crown Court. During sentencing today, Mr Justice Cotter condemned the attack as “vicious and merciless,” describing how Masum stabbed Kulsuma 26 times in broad daylight before cutting her throat.
“You pulled out a knife from your pocket and attacked her in full view of passers-by,” the judge said. “The wounds you inflicted were unsurvivable, as was your intention.”
The court heard that Masum had stalked Kulsuma using a phone location app, having previously threatened to kill members of her family if she did not return to him. He manipulated services by sending fake messages posing as a local GP practice to lure her out. Thinking he was abroad, Kulsuma left her hostel to meet a friend, where Masum intercepted her and carried out the fatal attack.
In a statement released by Kulsuma’s family, they described her as a “loving, caring and kind soul” whose smile “would light up any room.”:
Kulsuma was a much-loved daughter, sister, aunt and mother. Her loss has left a gaping hole in the lives of all her family and friends. We have been left with a profound sense of emptiness and a deep and painful void in our lives. She was a loving, caring and kind soul with a generous nature and touched the lives of everyone she came into contact with. As a family we miss her beautiful smile which would light up any room she entered. We will miss her humour, her kindness and her love.
We will never forgive the monster who took Kulsuma from us and we do not wish to utter his name. It does not deserve to be mentioned. The monster who savagely took Kulsuma from not only us, but also from her baby son. He will never know her beauty and her kindness. He will never know his mother, other than the memories we as a family will share with him as he grows. He is the only light in all this darkness and Kulsuma radiates throughout him.
Although we are grateful for the judicial process that found him guilty of this crime and for the sentence he has received today, no amount of time in prison will change the life sentence he has inflicted upon us all. No family should have to endure the pain and heartache we have had to endure since he took Kulsuma’s life so horrifically. We can only try and keep her memory alive by continuing to love her and to remember her name.
We wish to thank the investigation team at West Yorkshire Police who have supported us throughout the investigation and throughout the trial. This has been an unimaginable time for us as a family, one which will stay with us forever. We now request that our privacy is respected as we continue to grieve our beloved Kulsuma.
At Karma Nirvana, we call for urgent action to strengthen protections for victims fleeing abuse and to improve recognition of Honour Based Abuse in all its forms. This case is a stark reminder of the need to take stalking, coercive control, and threats seriously. We call on statutory agencies to reflect on what more can be done to prevent further tragedies. Everyone deserves safety, freedom, and dignity. We will remember Kulsuma and continue to work to end HBA in the UK.
Kulsuma’s murder was not an isolated act of violence. It followed a clear and escalating pattern of coercive control, threats, and stalking. Despite taking brave steps to leave and seek protection, Kulsuma’s abuser tracked her down, manipulated services to lure her out, and ultimately took her life.
As the courtroom proceedings come to an end, the pain remains immeasurable for those who loved Kulsuma. Her life and her courage will not be forgotten.
#WeRemember Kulsuma.
If you are at risk or concerned about someone else, Karma Nirvana’s helpline is available on 0800 5999 247.