Torture in Chakaria: HC to step in if probe is inadequate

 A court in Cox's Bazar yesterday granted bail to a women and her two daughters, who were tortured in broad daylight on Friday over "cattle theft" in the district's Harbang union.

Judge Rajib Kumar Dev of Cox's Bazar Senior Judicial Magistrate's Court passed the order in the morning, said defence lawyer Md Ilias Arif.

Meanwhile, the High Court yesterday said it would interfere if any irregularity takes place in the investigation into torture of five people, including the three woman, in Cox's Bazar. It also said it was monitoring the developments.

The bail order came after the three women -- Parvin, her daughters Selina Akhter Sheuli and Rozina Akhter and two other accused Emran, Parvin's son, and one Chuttu -- were produced before the court, said Ilias.

"The court, however, sent Emran and Chuttu to jail after rejecting their bail petition," Ilias added.

The five were tortured in broad daylight following an incident of "cattle theft" and were paraded through villages with their hands tied with rope on Friday.

Following abuse and humiliation, the five were handed to Harbang police outpost. A video footage and some images of the incident went viral on social media on Saturday night, creating a public outcry.

A case was filed against the five for cattle theft with the police station on Friday night.

The HC bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq said this after two lawyers placed the newspaper reports on the incident before it for a suo motu (voluntaril) order to this effect.

Lawyers Jasmine Sultana and Jamiul Hoque Faisal placed the reports published on The Daily Star, the Prothom Alo, and the Ittefaq yesterday.

The Daily Star report said five people, including three women, have been tortured in broad daylight following a "cattle theft" incident at Harbang union in Cox's Bazar's Chakoria.

The deputy commissioner of Cox's Bazar has formed a three-member probe committee, led by Shabasti Roy, deputy director of local government department, to probe the incident.

The committee has been asked to submit a report within seven working days, according to The Daily Star report.