NHRC to publish probe report tomorrow
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is likely to publish its investigation report tomorrow on the death of Liza Rahman, who set herself on fire after stepping out of Shah Makhdum police station in Rajshahi last month.
The commission’s Director Al-Mahmud Faizul Kabir, who is heading a five-member probe committee, revealed the information yesterday while talking to journalists at the rest house of forest department in Sopura area.
Kabir did not reveal their findings. He, however, said police findings have “some dissimilarities” with the facts.
He said he spoke to Liza’s family members, her husband’s family members, teachers and students of her college, police personnel, eyewitnesses and other relevant persons to prepare the report.
Liza, an 18-year-old HSC student of Rajshahi Women’s Government College, set herself on fire on September 28. The incident occurred an hour after she went to the police station, seeking legal assistance to protect her marriage.
She lost the battle for life five days later, while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital with 60 percent burns.
Liza’s father Mohammad Alam filed a case accusing Liza’s husband Shakhawat Hossain and her in-laws for her death. He also alleged that police forced him to file the case.
Earlier, a police investigation found “lack of responsible behaviour” by Officer-in-Charge of Shah Makhdum Police Station SM Masud Parvez. It, however, did not find “misbehaviour” with Liza by police, as claimed by her family members, Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) Commissioner Md Humayun Kabir had told The Daily Star.
Salma Begum, an additional commissioner, headed the committee while Abdullah Al Mamun, deputy commissioner of Detective Branch, was a member. The committee submitted its report on October 3.
The police report observed that Liza was “mentally devastated” when she visited the police station, following pressures from her husband and in-laws for divorce. When she went to the police station, she did not receive the behaviour she had hoped for, added the report.
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