Nusrat’s Harassment: Home questions police probe into magistrate’s laxity

The home ministry has questioned the jurisdiction of a police probe body to investigate possible negligence of duty by Feni Additional District Magistrate PKM Enamul Karim, also the president of the governing body of Sonagazi Islamia Fazil Madrasa.

The Police Headquarters had formed a five-member committee to investigate the killing of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi.

The committee found negligence of duties by four cops. The probe report mentioned the allegation of Nusrat’s mother Shirin Akhter that she, along with her son and Nusrat, went to Enamul’s office on April 4 after filing a case against madrasa Principal Siraj ud Doula on March 27 over harassing Nusrat sexually.

The magistrate expressed unwillingness to listen to them and warned them that they might have to face a defamation suit, the report added.

Enamul earlier had said he rather thanked Nusrat’s family members for filing the case. “I asked them to fight the legal battle sincerely. I don’t understand how such allegations against me are being made.”

The police probe committee submitted its report to the inspector general of police on May 1 and a copy of it was forwarded to the home ministry, said an official at the PHQ yesterday.

In a letter to the PHQ, the home ministry sought clarification whether the probe committee investigated possible negligence of duty by the Feni additional district magistrate and if it did so, under what authority.

The May 1 letter, signed by Deputy Secretary Mallika Khatun of the home ministry, also wanted to know the scope of work of the probe committee.

The Daily Star received a copy of the letter recently. The PHQ is yet to send its reply, said an official wishing anonymity.

Terming the letter unfortunate, officials at the PHQ said as a po-lice probe found some allegations against the additional magistrate to be true, the authorities concerned should launch an inquiry against him. But they are rather asking questions about the jurisdiction of the probe committee.

This newspaper called the deputy secretary several times for comment, but she did not pick up the phone.

On April 6, a group of people poured kerosene on Nusrat and set her afire at the Feni madrasa allegedly for refusing to withdraw the case against the madrasa principal.

The 18-year-old girl lost her battle for life on April 10 -- an incident that touched off outrage all over the country.