Press charges against Khadiza attacker immediately: NHRC chief

Terming the attacker of Sylhet college student Khadiza Begum Nargis “murderer ”, National Human Rights Commission Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque today urged the law enforcers to press charges against him as soon as possible.

“He is actually a criminal and murderer no matter from which political party he is associated with, whatever the party’s ideology is,” NHRC chairman told journalists after visiting Khadiza at Square Hospital in Dhaka around 11:15am.

The state must ensure an exemplary punishment to him, Hoque said.  

Khadiza, a student of Sylhet Government Women's College, was hacked in broad daylight by Badrul Alam, a fourth-year student of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (Sust) and also senior assistant secretary of the BCL unit in Sust, on Monday.

Khadiza still on life support

Doctors today told journalists that the condition of Khadiza, who is currently on life support, was unchanged since she had been brought to Square Hospital in Dhaka yesterday morning.

How her body will react after removing the life support will be very crucial, the doctors said.

Yesterday, the doctors said that the chances of survival are slim for the girl.

The attacker delivered blows on Khadiza' head with a machete, and the sharp weapon went beyond the skull multiple times injuring the brain, said doctors.

“With such injuries, the chance of someone's survival is between five and 10 percent,” said Rezaus Sattar, a neurosurgeon at the Square Hospital where the girl was being treated, yesterday.

Following the attack, Khadiza was initially admitted to Sylhet Osmani Medical College where she had undergone a surgery.

The gruesome attack was carried out on the campus of Murari Chand College (MC College) where the victim had gone to take part in one of her examinations.

A part of the attack was filmed by presumably a bystander with a mobile phone. The clip went viral.

In the clip, a youth is seen repeatedly hacking a girl lying on the ground. There were some bystanders but no one seemed to have intervened.

Yesterday, the Sust administration expelled Badrul and formed a three-member committee to probe the incident.

It was reported in the media that Badrul had tried to flee after hacking Khadiza. However, some local students started to chase him. At one point, police joined in. Together, they caught Badrul.

It was also reported by several media outlets that Badrul did not surrender until police threatened to shoot him.