Nusrat Murder: Witness narrates events of the day Siraj was arrested
A peon of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa testified in court yesterday over the murder of student Nusrat Jahan Rafi and narrated the events of March 27, the day principal SM Siraj Ud Doula sexually harassed the girl, was sued for the crime, and got arrested.
Nurul Amin, the fourth witness, said the principal called Nusrat to his room from class around 11:00am, but he did not notice it because he was making tea.
Around that time, Nurul saw two of Nusrat’s friends -- Nishat and Foorty -- outside the principal’s room. When he went inside, he found Nusrat sitting in a chair in front of the principal. Siraj was holding a cane, and Nusrat was on the verge of tears.
When Nurul asked Nusrat to stand, she stormed out of the room and ran to the classroom on the second floor. Later she left for home with her two friends.
Around 12:00pm, Nusrat’s mother Shirin Akter, younger brother Raihan, Sonagazi municipality councilors Yasin Commissioner and Mamun Commissioner, and local resident Abu Sufian came to the principal’s room.
Shirin rebuked the principal for harassing her daughter. Siraj then threatened her, saying, “I’ll see how your son and daughter get certificates.”
Nusrat and her brother Raihan study in the madrasa.
Around this time, President of Sonagazi upazila Awami League and vice-president of the madrasa governing body Ruhul Amin and another AL leader Jamsed came to the madrasa and asked Nusrat’s mother where her daughter was. A few minutes later, Nusrat entered the principal’s room with her elder brother Noman and passed out.
Sub-inspector Md Iqbal and Yasin Commissioner sprinkled water on Nusrat’s face and she regained consciousness. In the meantime, the madrasa authority had called police as Nusrat’s mother rebuked the principal, and the incident created an uproar.
SI Iqbal then asked Nusrat, “Why did you make a scene?”
SI Iqbal then took the principal to the police station, and Nusrat, her mother, and friends Nishat and Foorty, and her brother Noman also went there and gave statements. Nurul Amin was also called to the police station.
At that time, Nusrat’s mother filed a case against Siraj for sexual harassment.
APRIL 6: THE DAY SHE WAS SET ON FIRE
Around 9:40am on April 6, Nusrat came to the madrasa along with her brother Noman to sit for Alim exams (equivalent to HSC). Guard Mostofa let her in but stopped her brother.
About 10 minutes later, screams were heard and fire was seen on the roof of the three-story cyclone shelter, which doubles as an academic building of the madrasa. Nusrat was seen standing on the first-floor stairs and all in flames, the peon said.
Police constable Russell, who was on duty at the exam centre, and guard Mostofa put off the fire. One Baby Rani Das poured water on her. Russel and Baby then took Nusrat to Sonagazi Upazila Health Complex, wrapping her with a doormat.
On the very day, a glass, a burqa, salwar, a part of a scarf, a pair of shoes -- all of them party burnt, a polythene bag smeared with kerosene, and burnt matchsticks were recovered from the roof where she was set alight.
NUSRAT DIES
Nusrat was later shifted to the district general hospital and finally to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. With 80 percent burns, she breathed her last on April 10. The 18-year-old was fatally brunt because she refused to withdraw the case against the principal.
The murder trial opened against 16 people including, principal Siraj Ud Doula, at the Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal on June 27.
The court is supposed to resume proceedings at 11:30am today.