Ex-Sonagazi OC Moazzem says he has received worst punishment: social disgrace

Moazzem Hossain, a former chief of Sonagazi Police Station in Feni, was seen in tears while defending himself in court in a digital security case that stemmed from the death of madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi.

He says his family are ashamed of him being charged in the case.

It doesn’t matter how severe the punishment will be because I’ve already received tougher punishment than that,” a crying Moazzem told Bangladesh Cyber Crime Tribunal in Dhaka on Thursday.

“I have been socially disgraced by the case. My 15-year-old son can’t go to school out of shame. I would not have received such punishment if I had carried out 10 killings.”

“My mother in her 70s and my daughter are saddened by this.”

Moazzem recorded Nusrat’s statement on his mobile phone when she pressed charges of sexual harassment against her madrasa principal Siraj-ud-Daula in March.

The video was later released on social media amid widespread protest over a deadly arson attack on Nusrat by the followers of Siraj, who had already landed in jail on the sexual abuse charges, in April.

A case was subsequently started against Moazzem in Dhaka under the Digital Security Act.

A court in Feni sentenced Siraj and 15 others to death on Oct 24.