Staff Reporter :
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) found negligence on the part of police, the local administration and the madrasa governing body in protecting Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi from fire that caused her death.
After six days of the death of Nusrat Jahan Rafi, the NHRC Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque on Tuesday disclosed the report of the commission on Nusrat’s murder at its Headquarters in the capital.
Reazul Hoque said that it was evident that Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa Principal Siraj-ud-Doula sexually harassed her on March 27 and his close associates lit her on fire pouring kerosene on April 6, leading her harrowing death on April 10.
‘It is evident that such a barbaric act could be avoided if local administration and the madrasa governing body took necessary steps at appropriate time,’ he said. The video footage grabbed on March 27 immediately after she was sexually harassed, that went viral shows that police asked her different indecent questions and tried to present the matter lightly, the NHRC Chairman said.
He said that the then Sonagazi Police Station Officer-in-Charge has shown sheer negligence to his duties and it also went against the Digital Security Act .
The commission thinks that the trial of Nusrat murder case will be completed within a month as done in the cases of Rajon and Raquib.
After fighting for her life for five days, Nusrat succumbed to her injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in the capital on April 10.
On April 6, she was set afire at a centre of Alim examination allegedly by students loyal to Principal Siraj Ud Doula of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa after he was arrested and subsequently suspended as Rafi had accused him of sexually harassing her.
