The police failed to arrest suspended Sonagazi police station officer-in-charge Mouazzem Hossain in two weeks after the country’s lone Cyber Tribunal had issued arrest warrant against him on charge of recording video of a sexual assault victim.
Mouazzmen had recorded statements of madrassah student Nusrat Jahan Rafi while she was lodging compliant with him and released it on YouTube in April.
Home minister Asaduzzman Khan on Sunday told journalists, ‘Those who are involved in any offences, whether he is an OC or the ministry officials and public representatives, will face music.’
The minister said Sonagazi police ex officer-in-charge Mouazzem Hossain will face punishment accordingly if the court finds him guilty in the murder case of Madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi, reports Bangladesh Sangbd Sangstha.
The minister said a case was filed against OC Mouazzem Hossain and the charge sheet was submitted before court, ‘Court will take its own time to find out his involvement then accordingly will be brought him to justice.’
Transparency International, Bangladesh in a statement also expressed their concern over reports over Mouazzem’s escaping arrest. The organisation branded the news as ‘ominous sign’ for role of law in the country.
On May 27, the Cyber Tribunal chair, Mohammad Ash Shams Jaglul Hossain, issued the warrant against Mouazzem and asked the Police Bureau of Investigation to submit a report to the tribunal on the execution of the warrant by June 17, when the court was scheduled for hearing on framing of the charges.New Age correspondent in Feni reported that the copies of arrest warrant were received by the police authorities both in Rangpur and Feni.
The Rangpur range deputy inspector general Devdas Bhattacharya said the suspect remained absent without any permission.
He also said the warrant was sent to Sonagazi police station as it was not sent to them in accordance to rules.Incumbent officer-in-charge of Sonagazi police station Mayeen Uddin said he was yet to receive any warrant over the issue.
Sources in Feni police said the arrest warrant was received by them a couple of days after the Cyber Tribunal had issued it.
The PBI found Mouazzem forcefully videoed Nusrat’s statement at his office on March 27, shared the video with of journalists on April 8 for posting it on social media and creating social unrest and attempting to disrupt law and order by spreading the video.
Mouazzem showed negligence, unprofessionalism and tarnished the image of the disciplined force by recording Nusrat’s statement and spreading the video on social media, the PBI said.
On March 27, Nusrat was reportedly sexually harassed by her madrassah principal SM Siraj-ud-Doula in his office.
Siraj was arrested after Nusrat’s mother filed a case with the Sonagazi police.
On April 6, when Nusrat went to the madrassah to sit for her Alim examination, four people attired with burka and gloves set her on fire.
Nusrat was brought to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital with 80 per cent burns where she died on April 10. Siraj and 15 others were named in charge sheet submitted on May 29 with the Feni chief judicial magistrate court.
