Who are protecting the rapist?
While the family of a 17-year-old who was raped and killed recently in Kalabagan by her friend spends days in unbearable grief, their agony has been intensified by the apparent attempts by the law enforcers handling the case, to seemingly distort facts. In fact, from the very beginning, the way the police concerned have treated such a horrifying crime has raised disturbing questions.
According to the victim's mother, there seems to be some "invisible power" trying to protect the accused. When the family was filing the case, they wanted to also name the three friends who had been at the hospital where the victim had been taken and who Fardin Iftekhar Dihan (the main accused) had mentioned to the victim would be at the flat, but the police discouraged them to do so. They said that they would include their names if they were found to be involved. Why would the police do that without knowing anything about the case? Isn't it their duty to record all names as suspects when the victim's family files the case? The three friends were apparently questioned by police but released later. Until all evidence is produced before the court, it will not be known whether those three were involved; but they certainly could have revealed important details about this incident. The police have also not revealed to the family what exactly the main accused Dihan said in his confession.
There are more questions—why did the police note down the victim's age to be 19 instead of 17, which is the age given in all official documents? Is this a way to show that the victim was an adult, something that might go in favour of the rapist? The police have said that the age will be determined after proper tests. Why is it necessary that the age be established through tests when there are legal documents stating her age?
We have seen time and again how justice is denied to victims and survivors of rape because of flaws in the FIR or when the family files a case. Either the case is not taken at all, or taken after a delay, or taken while leaving out some of the names of those suspected by the family to be involved in the crime. The Head of the Forensic Departement of Dhaka Medical College has stated that the child died due to hemorrhagic shock and excessive bleeding caused by severe injuries to her private parts.
The case must be investigated without any prejudice or influence from powerful quarters. Only a proper investigation will establish the truth. The role played by the police when taking a case determines how the case will pan out and whether or not the victim and their family will get justice. In this particular incident, the police personnel must be held accountable for the way they have handled the case. Unless the police are completely unbiased and empathetic when families come to report such horrendous crimes, the entire process of getting justice can get derailed, allowing for those involved in the crime to go scot-free or not be given the punishment they deserve. We fervently hope that this will not happen in this case.
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