Nusrat’s family testifies against ex-OC Moazzem

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Bangla Tribune Report
Published : 18:05, Sep 11, 2019 | Updated : 18:12, Sep 11, 2019

Ex-OC Moazzem at court on Jun 30, 2019. Photo: Focus BanglaThe family of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi, who was murdered after being set aflame, has testified against suspended OC Moazzem Hossain in a case filed under Digital Security Act.
Nusrat’s mother Shirin Akhter and brother Rashedul Hassan Raihan testified in front of Bangladesh Cyber Tribunal Judge As-Shams Jaglul Hossain on Wednesday (Sept 11). The court also set the next hearing date on Sept 19.
Shirin Akhter told the court that they went to Sonagazi police station to file a sexual assault case against now suspended Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa principal Siraj-ud-Daula on Mar 27, 2019.
“OC Moazzem recorded my daughter’s statement in his room but we were not allowed to enter. When she came outside Nusrat told us that the OC made her take off her niqab and recorded her statement in a video,” she said.
Nusrat’s brother Raihan echoed. “She [Nusrat] told her [his mother] that the OC said objectionable things to her. We later saw the video on Facebook on Apr 12,” he said in his testimony.
According to the case details, Nusrat went to Sonagazi model police station to file a case against Siraj-ud-Daula, on Mar 27, for sexually assaulting her the day before.
Moazzem recorded a video of her statement without her consent asking her offensive and insulting questions.
The video then surfaced on various social media platforms. It was alleged that Moazzem had uploaded the video.
Moazzem, whose voice was audible in the video, appeared unconcerned about Nusrat’s complaints and said the sexual assault was not a major incident.
He had told Nusrat to go home and assured her he would take steps in accordance with her written complaint. However, no action was taken against Siraj-ud-Daula.
On May 27, the Cyber Tribunal ordered his arrest after the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) filed its probe report on the case.
The PBI probe found Moazzem guilty under sections 26, 29 and 31 of the Digital Security Act for spreading a video of the statement on Facebook.
He was handed over to the police on Jun 16 and produced before the cyber tribunal on Jul 17 after which he was sent to jail.
On Jul 9, he moved the High Court for bail but his petition was rejected by the bench of Justice Md Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Khizir Hayat.
Nusrat, an Alim examinee, was set on fire by Siraj-ud-Daula’s followers on Apr 6 as she refused to withdraw the sexual abuse charges her family had filed against him.
She died from the injuries she sustained at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital Burn Unit four days later.

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