Girl who was burnt in reprisal after sexual abuse charges against principal dies

The madrasa girl of Feni has lost the battle for her life five days after she was burnt allegedly in reprisal for levelling sexual abuse charges against the principal.

Nusrat Jahan Rafi, 18, was declared dead at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital by National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery Chief Coordinator Samanta Lal Sen around 9:30pm on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had told the authorities to take her to Singapore for advanced treatment but the doctors opted not to move Nusrat considering her worsening health.

She was put on life support at the intensive care unit of the institute on Monday, three days after being admitted with 80 percent of her body burnt in an alleged arson attack.

 

Nusrat and her family said they had been being threatened after she had brought charges of sexual harassment against principal Siraj-ud-Daula last month.

Describing the incident to police, she said some people tricked her onto the roof of the Sonagazi Islamia Fazil Madrasa and set fire to her by pouring kerosene on her body when she went to the institution to sit Alim exams, equivalent to HSC, last Saturday.

The assailants, who included burqa-clad women, carried out the attack when she had refused to withdraw the charges against Siraj, Nusrat said. 

Siraj had already been in jail in a case initiated by Nustrat’s mother over alleged sexual harassment.

Nusrat Jahan Rafi was admitted to the DMCH’s burn unit on Saturday after she was set on fire in reprisal following sexual abuse charges against the principal. Photo: Mahmud Zaman Ovi

Police have arrested 10 people, including Siraj, in a case started by Nusrat’s brother over the attack.      

They remanded in their custody ‘Alauddin’, Kefayet Ullah, former student Noor Hossain, and Shahidul Islam on Tuesday and Siraj, madrasa lecturer Afsar Uddin, and Ariful Islam on Wednesday in the case.

They have also applied for remand of former student Zubayer Ahmed and the principal’s niece Umme Sultana Popi, who was also a classmate of Nusrat.

The law enforcers have been looking for “Shompa” since Nusrat said she had heard an assailant calling another by that name.

Police escorting Principal SM Siraj-ud-Daula (in white panjabi) to a court.

Those named in the case started by Nusrat’s brother also include Sonagazi Municipality Councillor Maksul Alam, former student Shahadat Hossain Shamim, Jabed Hossain and Hafez Abdul Quader.   

The government has transferred Sonagazi Police Station OC Moazzem Hossain due to his alleged negligence in handling Nusrat’s case which is being investigated by the Police Bureau of Investigation now.