New committee to investigate sexual harassment of female cricketer in Dinajpur

A new committee will investigate the allegation of sexual harassment of a female cricketer by her coach in Dinajpur.

The authorities cancelled the old committee following an objection raised by the complainant, the alleged victim's father, and formed a new one on Sunday.

Dinajpur Deputy Commissioner Mir Khairul Alam said the new five-member committee was given five days to submit a report.

In addition to having a new investigation committee, the female cricketer filed a case on Saturday against Bangladesh Cricket Board’s Dinajpur District Coach Abu Samad Mithu, the alleged perpetrator.

In the petition objecting to the old committee, the cricketer's father said: "Committee member Subrata Majumder Dollar is the president of Mithu's Procheshta Coaching Centre while another member, Mili Chowdhury, is a vice-president of the coaching centre which may influence the investigation."   

The new committee is formed a day after a group of citizens demanded the resignation of DC Alam for a case against them on charges of vandalism during protests against the alleged harassment of the cricketer last Wednesday.  

The accused in the case include Dinajpur United Council Against Oppression of Women Convenor Abul Kalam Azad.

On June 1, the female cricketer's father filed a complaint with DC Alam and the district’s sports association, alleging that Mithu sexually harassed his daughter in the name of treatment of an injury.

He also alleged that Mithu had earlier sexually harassed female cricketers, but they had not filed any complaint out of fear and shame.

The district's sports association and BCB suspended Mithu following the complaint was filed.

Mithu, however, said the allegations were a ‘conspiracy’ against him and his coaching centre.