Hasina vows justice for Nusrat killed after ‘sexual abuse’

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has promised exemplary punishment of people behind the killing after alleged sexual harassment of Nusrat Jahan Rafi, saying recurrence of such incident must be stopped.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 12 April 2019, 06:44 PM
Updated : 12 April 2019, 08:11 PM

“I am lost for words to condemn this,” Hasina said at a meeting of the ruling Awami League’s advisory council at the Ganabhaban in Dhaka on Friday.

“I wanted to save her life…but it didn’t happen. She has left us,” the prime minister said, noting that she had asked that Nusrat be taken to Singapore for treatment which was not possible because of her deteriorating health.

File Photo: Nusrat Jahan Rafi was admitted to the DMCH’s burn unit on Apr 6 after she was set on fire in reprisal following sexual abuse charges against madrasa principal Siraj-ud-Daula. Photo: Mahmud Zaman Ovi

The 18-year old died at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Wednesday night, five days after she was set on fire on the roof of Sonagazi Senior Islamia Fazil Madrasa in Feni by suspected followers of principal SM Siraj-ud-Daula.

Siraj, who was already in jail, is accused of orchestrating the killing after she had refused to drop sexual abuse charges against him.

“Some of the culprits have been caught. The others will also be arrested. They won’t be spared. We won’t let them off the hook,” Hasina said.  

“I think they must face exemplary punishment so that such incidents do not happen again,” she added.

Al-Mahmud Faizul Kabir, a director of the National Human Rights Commission, called Siaj “the mastermind” behind the killing of Nusrat. He said it would have been averted had the authorities moved when she had brought the sexual abuse charges.  

“Nusrat was murdered in a planned manner and the mastermind is principal Siraj-ud-Daula. His associates are involved with the incident,” Faizul said during a visit to Sonagazi on Friday.

“The arson attack on Nusrat could have been averted had the madrasa authorities and local administration taken quick steps over Nusrat’s sexual harassment by Siraj,” he added.

In the capital, protesters demanded that a special tribunal be constituted for cases over rape and sexual harassment, and given a time limit to complete trial.

Gourab Ekattor, a group of volunteers, organised a march on the Dhaka University campus against rape and sexual abuse.  

Purnima Foundation and Chetona Parishad joined the march demanding capital punishment for rapists.  

Sammilita Sangskritik Jote President Golam Kuddus said at a rally afterwards: “Punishment for such offences is not possible under the current laws. That’s why we demand a special tribunal.” 

“A deadline to complete the trial should also be set. It can be 30 days or 60 days or 90 days. But the punishment of the perpetrators must be ensured by completing the trial within this period,” he added.

He also demanded that investigations into and trial of rape and sexual abuse be handled by only women to stop harassment of victims.

Students carrying placards with different slogans against sexual abuse and rape marched on the Dhaka University campus on Friday as they protest against the killing of Nusrat Jahan Rafi after alleged sexual harassment by the principal of her madrasa in Feni. Photo: Abdullah Al Momin

The maximum penalty for rape in Bangladesh is life imprisonment in line with the Prevention of Repression of Women and Children Act. Convicts face capital punishment in case their victims die.

A 180-day or six-month deadline has been set by the law for completing the trial, but the time limit is not followed in most cases.

Trial and punishment for rape and sexual abuse do not often happen in Bangladesh as the victims rarely speak out in fear of social dishonour.

Negligence in investigations and medical tests of victims, and intervention by influential people are also blamed for hindering the course of justice in many cases.

Trial in around 3,500 out of over 17,000 cases under the Prevention of Repression of Women and Children Act initiated between January, 2014 and December, 2017 has been completed so far, according to the government.

Among the 673 convicts in these cases, 17 were sentenced to death and 80 to life in prison.