India court begins retrial of Bangladesh teen Felani murder

An Indian court has begun the retrial of the case over the murder of Bangladeshi teenaged girl Felani Khatun.

Kurigram Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 22 Sept 2014, 01:39 PM
Updated : 23 Sept 2014, 02:58 PM

The trial began at a special court in Indian Border Security Force’s (BSF) sector headquarters at Koch Bihar on Monday, Kurigram 45 Border Guard Bangladesh Battalion Commander Lt Col Mofazzal Hossain Akand said.

He told reporters the trial would be conducted by the Special Security Force Court. He and Felani’s father Nur Islam, uncle Abdul Hanif and Kurigram Public Prosecutor AM Abraham Lincoln would travel to India soon to bear witness and assist the court.

Kurigram PP Lincoln said they had made all preparations to take part in the trial.

“If everything is alright we will take part in the trial within two or three days. Felani’s father and uncle will testify and I as a lawyer from Bangladesh will assist the court,” he said.

Felani was shot dead by BSF personnel on Jan 7, 2011, while she was trying to cross the barbed-wire fencing near Choudhuryhaat.

The killing had provoked widespread outrage in both Bangladesh and India after her body was seen hanging from the border fence.

After a special BSF court acquitted the border guard accused of murder, Nur Islam on Sept 12, 2013 applied to the Indian government through its High Commission in Dhaka for a retrial.

Later BSF agreed to the retrial at a bilateral meeting.