Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Sunday refused to grant bail to former Officer-in-Charge of Sonagazi Police Station Moazzem Hossain in a case filed on charges of recording a statement of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi and circulating the video on social media.
The court, however, ordered the trial court to complete the trial proceedings of the case against Moazzem in 40 working days.
The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman delivered the verdict after hearing on an appeal filed by Moazzem seeking bail in the case.
In the appeal, Moazzem also challenged a lower court order that rejected his bail petition in the case on July 30.
Advocate Md Ahsanullah and Advocate Rana Kawser appeared for Moazzem and Barrister Syed Sayedul Haque Suman argued for the case he filed against Moazzem.
On April 15, Syed Sayedul Haque Suman filed the case with Dhaka Cyber Tribunal against Moazzem under the Digital Security Act, for recording Nusrat’s statement on camera without her consent and circulating it on social media.
Alim (equivalent to HSC) examinee Nusrat Jahan Rafi, who was set afire in Sonagazi upazila of Feni on April 6, and she succumbed to her injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit on April 10. Her death triggered a huge public outcry across the country.
Moazzem was withdrawn the same day of the incident as Nusrat’s family alleged that he was not cooperating with them. He was suspended on May 8 over negligence of duty.
Police arrested Moazzem from the Supreme Court area on June 16. The following day, a Dhaka court rejected his bail petition and sent him to jail.
On October 24, the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal in Feni sentenced all the 16 accused to death for killing Nusrat Jahan Rafi.
