Arnima Hayat, once a talented medical student, was tragically found dead after her jealous and controlling husband dissolved her body in a bath of acid.
The 19-year-old, who had relocated from Bangladesh to Australia with her family at the age of nine, found herself trapped in an abusive marriage with a baby on the way after meeting her first boyfriend, 20-year-old apprentice builder Meraj Zafar. Once a skinny high school dropout, he went on to bulk himself up at the gym. Zafar terrifyingly towered over Arnima and from the outset, her family worried about his controlling nature.
Zafar pressured Arnima to drink, and there were whispers of his drug use circulated. The once family-oriented Arnima began distancing herself under his sway, despite having always been close to her family.
In May 2021, Zafar brazenly approached Arnima’s father, Abu Hayat, seeking his blessing for marriage. Abu’s hesitation led to a heated exchange, with Zafar later bombarding him with abusive calls, taunting, “Are you man or a lady?” he yelled. “Why can’t you make a decision?” This prompted Abu to report to the police, resulting in Zafar receiving a restraining order.
Despite this, by October 2021, Arnima and Zafar tied the knot in a private Islamic ceremony, excluding friends and family. They retreated into seclusion in their North Parramatta flat in Sydney.
Arnima, who once shared her life openly with her family, ceased all communication. The vibrant teen, passionate about music and shopping, became reclusive as she continued her studies.
By January 2022, a pregnant Arnima confided to friends about Zafar’s abuse, although she hadn’t sought police intervention. Arnima was tragically trapped in a marriage where she had to ask her husband’s permission even to leave the house, and he’d insult her, calling her a “dumb bitch”.
In one horrifying incident, he strangled her until she passed out because he suspected her of seeing another man. In desperate messages, she pleaded with him for freedom, writing, “I just don’t want to say this to your face because I’m scared you’re going to bash me again,” adding, “I don’t want a son like you.”
Zafar replied, “Baby, you need to let go of the past – whatever I did was not me at all.” She confided to pals about his jealous, controlling nature. Arnima regretted marrying him and considered involving the police, but she feared Zafar’s next move.
On 29 January, feeling isolated, she texted a friend, “I have nobody except you,” voicing her desire to leave. Her friend replied, “You have got no choice. You have to stay with him.” At 9.10pm, Arnima texted back, “No, I hate him,” marking her final communication.
The subsequent day, Zafar’s mum alerted the police to say her son had confessed to a violent clash with Arnima, leaving him uncertain if she was alive. Meanwhile, Zafar had checked prices for a ticket overseas.
Officers arrived at the flat and upon breaking in, were immediately hit by a potent chemical odour emanating from the bathroom. Donning hazmat suits, they stumbled upon a horrifying sight: a bathtub filled with hydrochloric acid containing a body facedown, so severely decomposed by the acid that DNA was needed for identification. It was Arnima.
Zafar, along with his white work truck, had vanished, making him the prime suspect. The police released an image of him, and 20 hours later, he surrendered himself.
The investigation revealed that Arnima was murdered a mere 45 minutes after her last text to a friend. Zafar had left the premises by 9.55pm, leaving Arnima lifeless.
CCTV footage captured Zafar the next morning at a home improvement store purchasing 20 litres of hydrochloric acid, only to return for another 80 litres later. Despite his denials, evidence pointed to Zafar as the murderer, attempting to dispose of Arnima’s body.
Searches on Zafar’s internet history showed queries like “Can hydrochloric acid burn through skin?” prior to the acid purchase, and even “How many years do you get in Sydney for murder?” The tragedy left Arnima’s family, including her parents and eight year old sister, in anguish, unable to see her one final time or follow their tradition of an open coffin funeral due to the condition of her remains.
In May 2024, Zafar admitted his guilt. The judge described the murder of his wife by “obstructing her breathing or smothering her” and then attempting to dispose of her body using corrosive acid.
“He acted in such a way because of his anger and the prospect of Ms Hayat leaving him,” the judge remarked, highlighting a history of controlling and violent behaviour from Zafar. “This was against a background of controlling and violent behaviour by the offender. The offence occurred in the home of Ms Hayat, where she was entitled to feel safe.”
In December 2024, at the age of 23, Zafar received his sentence. Arnima’s devastated father expressed that the killer had shattered their family, their future, and their hearts. “I miss my daughter every day and see her face in my dreams,” he lamented.
“He burned the face I used to kiss every night. Can you imagine someone burning your child?” Arnima’s mother, Mahafuza Akter, had her heart-wrenching statement read out by a support person. “There is no joy, no laughter, only suffering and pain. My tears are neverending and the deep ache in my heart never stops,” it was conveyed, noting how Arnima’s potential to help others as a doctor was cruelly snatched away.
Arnima had dreams of becoming a surgeon, and her parents relocated from Bangladesh to Australia to give her the best opportunities. She quickly adapted to her new life in Australia, where her parents ran a successful butcher’s shop. She became an Australian citizen, mastered English, and developed a love for sushi, iced coffee, and makeup.
She was also hardworking, ambitious, and eager to help others. Her parents later had another daughter, who Arnima was very close to despite their 11-year age gap. When Arnima secured a place to study medicine at Western Sydney University, her parents were filled with pride. They worked tirelessly to cover the fees, and she took up a part-time job at a shopping centre to contribute.
Mahafuza yearned for one last glimpse of her daughter. “Instead, I sit by her grave every Friday, stroking the grass because I can no longer stroke her hair. I kiss and hug her tombstone, longing to hold and smell her.”
In a heartfelt letter to the court, Zafar expressed his remorse, writing, “I don’t know how to begin to say how sorry I am for all that I have caused and all that I have affected through my actions,” and admitting, “It’s the most terrible thing to do to someone else.”
The judge pointed out that Zafar’s reference to Arnima solely as “his wife” rather than by her name during the trial was indicative of his possessive attitude towards her. For his crimes, Zafar received a sentence of 21 years and six months, with a minimum term of 16 years before he is eligible for parole.
