CID to probe Pirojpur girl abuse

The High Court today directed the superintendent of police in Pirojpur to handover the case filed for the last month torture and sexual abuse of a 13-year-old madrasa girl in Nazirpir to CID for its “fair” investigation.

During hearing a writ petition filed based on a report run by The Daily Star on March 19 under the headline “Girl goes thru’ horrific abuse”, the court ordered the criminal investigation department (CID) to submit the probe report to it by May 20.

It also directed the SP to take special care of the case during its trial proceedings at the lower court.

The Daily Star report said in the afternoon of March 12, a boy, Ramzan, and the girl from Nazirpur were on their way to a village fair when Mujahidul Islam Miah Zafar’s accomplices, including Mamun, Yusuf, Ezabul, Inu, Dalim, Tuku, Emran and Saiful, forcibly took the two to Rajlaxmi Health Complex.
Zafar, who was waiting there, called in police. Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Abdur Rahman of Nazirpur Police Station went to the health complex, took the two to a room and started an obscene photo-shoot.
After harassing them for around half an hour, the cop handcuffed both, took the girl to another room and raped her.
Once the ASI was done with his nefarious act, Zafar took over. He forced the teenagers into marriage without registration. Kamruzzaman Moti, a local Jubo League leader and schoolteacher, was also present there.
The victims said Abdur Rahman released them only after extracting Tk 3,500 from their families. ASI Rahman claimed that he had handed over the minors to Ashim, a relative of the health complex owner. 

After the incident drew media attention, the ASI along with Kamruzzaman and Officer-in-Charge (investigation) Md Nasiruddin of Nazirpur Police Station went to the victims’ houses on March 16 and threatened them not to disclose anything, according to the report. 

Rights organisation Ain O Salish Kendra on March 19 filed the writ petition with the HC seeking necessary orders over the incident

The same day, the HC issued a rule upon the government questioning the legality of the abuse of power by ASI Rahman, and summoned him (Rahman), Zafar and Ashim to appear before it on April 8 (yesterday) to explain their roles in the incident.

Law enforcers arrested Rahman and Zafar after Ramzan filed a case with Nazirpur Police Station at night on March 19.

Today the police produced Rahman, Zafar, Ashim, Ramzan and the girl before the HC, as per its March 19 order.

During hearing, petitioner’s lawyer Abu Obaidur Rahman told the court that the police have not mentioned some allegations against ASI Rahman and other offenders in the case, although the victim girl has cited those to the magistrate during making confessional statement.

After examining the case and the victim’s confessional statement, the HC bench of Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar asked the police to send ASI Rahman and Zafar to jail and to release Ashim, Ramzan and the girl.