Former Kurigram DC Sultana acquitted of charges

Former deputy commissioner (DC) of Kurigram Sultana Parveen, who faced departmental action for allegedly harassing a journalist and jailing him by a mobile court at the dead of night, has been exonerated from charges by the president.

The public administration ministry issued a notification to this end on 23 November.

The ministry through a notification on 10 August punished Sultana Parveen, suspending her salary increment for the next two years over the arrest, torture and punishment of Ariful Islam, Kurigram district correspondent of Dhaka Tribune. Now she has been excused from the charges by another notification.

On 13 March midnight, a mobile court of Kurigram district administration picked up Ariful and sentenced him to a year’s imprisonment on charges of possessing narcotics. After his release, Ariful alleged that he was brutally tortured. Senior assistant commissioner and RDC of Kurigram Nazim Uddin beat Ariful entering his house and threatened to kill him in ‘crossfire’.

Ariful claimed he was tortured for reporting on the corruption of the local administration. The local administration claimed that Ariful was arrested with 450ml liquor and 150g cannabis.

Ariful’s arrest sparked nationwide protest.

Following the incident, DC Sultana Parveen, RDC Nazim and deputy commissioners Rintu Bikash Chakma and SM Rahatul Islam were withdrawn from their duties. Later, departmental action was taken against them.