Nusrat's murder an 'acid test' for govt: Dr Iftekharuzzaman

Nusrat's murder is an “acid test” for the government and ensuring fair trial is the only way for them to prove that rule of law prevails in this country, said Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).

He was speaking at a human chain formed at Dhaka University's Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) on Sunday, demanding exemplary punishment of those involved with the killing of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi.

“The government can demonstrate that it believes in rule of law and does not believe in impunity by ensuring justice for Nusrat's murder. If it fails to do so, people of this country will no longer have faith in the government as well as in justice,” said Dr Iftekharuzzaman. 

He also said that he has little faith that this demand would be fulfilled in true sense.

“The main reason behind this [having little faith] is we have heard from our honourable judges that even they have lost faith in the judicial process,” he said.   

“…The media has portrayed how the local administration, local law enforcers and local judicial authorities were involved in the crime and patronised it. We have little faith because of that,” he added.

“I think, a faction of our law enforcers are suffering from some sort of mental health disorder. They are politically manipulated and involved with corruption extensively….They side with the perpetrators, provide protection to them and victims suffer,” he further said.

He alleged that law enforcers do this with the help of local administration and influential people.

“This cannot happen in an independent country. We protest such incident strongly and urge the concerned authorities to ensure exemplary punishment for those involved with the murder directly or indirectly.”

The TIB executive director also said that people will not have to take to the streets anymore if the perpetrators are made to believe they will be punished if they commit crime or protect any criminal.