Housewife Molestation: HC directs authorities to dismiss OC and four others
In the case of molestation and attempted rape of a housewife at Joykrishnapur village in Begumganj upazila of Noakhali district, the High Court on Thursday directed the authorities concerned to sack the then officer-in-charge and four others.
The HC bench of justice Md Mojibur Rahman Miah and justice Md Kamrul Hossain Molla passed the order during a virtual hearing on the rule issued in this regard.
The five officials the HC wanted to be dismissed are, then OC of Begumganj police station, Harun-ur-Rashid, sub-inspector Habibur Rahman, additional SI Mofizul Islam, local union parishad member Moazzem Hossain Shohag and watchman Ali Asgar.
Lawyer ZI Khan Panna, Anik R Haque and Abdullah Al Mamun brought the matter to court’s attention while deputy attorney general Nowroz Md Rasel Chowdhury stood for the state.
Nowroz Md Rasel Chowdhury said the court directed the secretary of home ministry to take departmental action against then OC, SI and ASI while the secretary of the ministry of local government, rural development was directed to take actions against the UP member and village watchman.
On 5 October 2020 after the video footage of molesting the housewife during an attempted rape was brought to court’s attention, it directed Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission chairman to remove the footage and store it in pen drive or CD as evidence.
The court also directed Noakhali superintendent of police to ensure overall safety to the victim and her family.
Besides, the court formed a committee to investigate any negligence of police in recording the victim’s statement and ordered a report within 15 working days.
After finding proof of negligence of local representatives, police members and watchman in the report the court passed the orders on Thursday, said the deputy attorney general.
On 2 September 2020, the victim was molested by some local miscreants of ‘Delwar Bahini’ at Ward No. 9 of Eklashpur union in the upazila.
The incident came to light after a video of the barbaric incident went viral on the internet, which was published by the miscreants on 4 October that year.
The miscreants tortured the housewife, undressing her and capturing her on the phone. The video sent a shock wave throughout the country, triggering protests everywhere.
The victim filed two cases accusing nine people 33 days after the incident.
One of the cases was filed under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act and another under the Pornography Control Act.
On 4 October 2021, Noakhali Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-1 sentenced Delwar Hossain alias Delu, leader of ‘Delwar Bahini’ and his associate Mohammad Ali alias Abul Kalam to life imprisonment over the case.