Happy denies torture by Shahadat, wife
House help Mahfuza Akhtar Happy yesterday softened her stance in her testimony on former Bangladesh cricketer Shahadat Hossain and his wife Jesmin Jahan Nrittya, saying that the couple did not torture her during her time employed at their household.
Nrittya sometimes rebuked her as she did not want to work or could not work properly, she said in her testimony at a Dhaka court yesterday.
“I fell victim to an accident that broke my leg,” Happy said while giving her statement in connection with a case filed for alleged torture. “I filed the case against the couple after being pressurised by others.”
Judge Tanjina Ismail of the Fifth Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children Repression recorded her statement and fixed August 31 for the next hearing.
Her latest testimony is in marked contrast to her words when charges were first filed against Shahadat and Nrittya.
Dhaka police had registered a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act against the couple on September 7, 2015.
Happy fled Shahadat's Mirpur residence on September 6 and Pallabi police rescued her with numerous marks on her body from Kalshi area later that night. After being handed over to Mirpur police she was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment. She had told Dadan Fakir, officer-in-charge of Pallabi Police Station, that she was tortured by the couple.
As doctors screened Happy's body, they found that her left foot was fractured; there were blood clots around both the eyes; numerous marks of bruises on her hands and back.
Dr Bilkis Begum, coordinator of the one-stop crisis centre (OCC) at DMCH where the, told The Daily Star on September 7, quoting the victim, that: "For the last one year the couple, particularly Nrittya, used to beat her up with whatever they found at their disposal if she failed to carry out her duties and also in case of delays."
The victim also said that she was brought here to take care of Shahadat's baby. But later she was forced to do household work, Bilkis had added.
On October 5 Shahadat was arrested, two days after Nrittya was arrested from her relatives' house in Dhaka. Shahadat was eventually granted bail later that year on December 8. Shahadat was also temporarily suspended by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in September 2015, which was lifted in May this year but for domestic cricket only. He participated in the Dhaka Premier League, but will not be considered for national selection until his legal issues are resolved.
After yesterday's statement, Special Public Prosecutor Ali Asgar Swapon declared her a 'hostile witness' and questioned her on different points on the repression and torture.
The PP also asked her about her previous statements given to a magistrate where she said that she was tortured inhumanely by the couple.
But she denied all the questions asked the by the prosecution.
Swapon told The Daily Star Happy had been staying at the Mahila Ainjibi Samity and yesterday she appeared before the court under the supervision of the Samity.
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