Ex-Sonagazi OC not produced before court

A tribunal in Dhaka yesterday set July 17 for holding charge framing hearing against former officer-in-charge of Sonagazi Police Station Moazzem Hossain, as prison authorities failed to produce him before it.

Dhaka Cyber Tribunal Judge Ash Sams Joglul Hossain set the date after Kashimpur Jail authorities could not produce Moazzem before the tribunal due to “unknown reasons”.

The tribunal also expressed dissatisfaction with defence lawyer Faruque Ahmed, as he failed to submit a petition in time, for a certified copy of Nusrat Jahan Rafi’s statement recorded by Moazzem.

The judge made the comment after Faruque submitted another time petition yesterday for the same copy of the statement.

Moazzem, the accused of a case filed for recording a statement of madrasa student Nusrat, a victim of sexual harassment, and circulating the video clip on social media without her consent.

Supreme Court lawyer Syed Sayedul Haque filed the case on April 15 against Moazzem under the Digital Security Act.

According to the probe report submitted on May 27, the former OC himself recorded the video and later passed the footage to someone else. The footage showed Moazzem asking Nusrat “insulting” questions, the report said.

The OC was sent to jail on June 17 after he was produced before the court. Meanwhile, the High Court on Tuesday rejected Moazzem’s bail petition.

Nusrat, a student of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa in Feni, was set ablaze on April 6 allegedly for refusing to withdraw a case filed against the madrasa Principal Siraj Ud Doula for sexually harassing her on March 27. She died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on April 10. On the same day, the OC was withdrawn as Nusrat’s family alleged that he was not cooperating with them. Moazzem was eventually suspended on May 8 over negligence of duty and attached to the office of DIG Rangpur range.