Timely step could have averted arson attack on Nusrat: DIG

The chief of the probe panel formed by the Police Headquarters to look into whether there was any negligence on the part of police on Thursday said the arson attack on madrasa girl Nusrat Jahan Rafi could have been averted had the local administration and the madrasa governing body taken necessary measures about the 27 March sexual harassment.

While talking to reporters after their two-day visit here, Deputy Inspector General (Police Headquarters) of police M Ruhul Amin also said they found the evidence of fault of former officer-in-charge of Sonagazi Model police station Moazzem Hossain.

He said investigation against the OC and other police officers is on and it will take some time to complete it.

Mentioning that Sirajuddoula, principal of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa, had some bad track records and the managing committee was aware of those, the probe panel chief said, "This incident (Nusrat murder) would not have happened had they taken steps earlier."

He also said local politics is also a factor behind the incident. "Two councillors of a party formed human chains in favour and against the principal."

The five-member probe body visited the madrasa on Wednesday and Thursday, talked to its teachers, students, employees and guardians and took their opinions. They also talked to policemen and members of Nusrat Jahan Rafi.

Meanwhile, another accused in the Nusrat murder case reportedly confessed before court here on Thursday to his involvement in the incident.

Senior Judicial Magistrate Sharaf Uddin Ahmed recorded the confessional statement of Hafez Abdul Quader, a Fazil student of the madrasa who used to teach Quran to junior students, under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, said Chattogram divisional special police super of Police Bureau of Investigation M Iqbal.

Quader told the court that he was one of the masterminds of the incident and guarded the main gate of the madrasa to ensure security of the killers on 6 April.

Besides, a court here placed accused Mohammed Shamim on a five-day remand in the case.

Senior judicial magistrate Sharaf Uddin Ahmed passed the order after inspector Shah Alam of Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), also investigation officer of the case, produced him before the court seeking a seven-day remand.

Meanwhile, another accused Abdur Rahim Sharif on Wednesday reportedly gave confessional statement in the murder case.

The same judge recorded Sharif's statement under section 164 from 3:30pm to 9:30pm.

He confessed that the murder plan was finalised at a meeting attended by 12 people following an order by madrasa principal Sirajuddoula.

They met the principal at the jail on 28 and 30 March. Later, they made the final plan at a meeting on 4 April in presence of 12 people. He was assigned to guard the gate while Nur Uddin and Abdul Quader were with him.

Shahadat, Jubayer and Jaber went to the roof wearing burkas along with Kamrun Nahar Moni and Umme Sultana Popy, he said.

Abdur Rahim was arrested from Dhaka's Kamrangirchar area on Tuesday night.

Earlier, two other accused Nur Uddin and Shahadat Hossain Shamim gave confessional statement in the case.

A total 17 people have so far been arrested in the case. Among them, eight people are FIR (first information report) enlisted.

Nusrat Jahan Rafi, a student of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa in Sonagazi upazila of Feni, was set ablaze on 6 April allegedly for refusing to withdraw a case filed against principal Sirajuddoula of the madrasa for sexually harassing her last month.

After fighting for her life for five days, the madrasa girl died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on 10 April.