Ex-OC suspended over Feni madrasa student rape, murder case
Former officer-in-charge of Feni’s Songazai police station Moazzem Hossain has been suspended for not “carrying out his duties properly” after the alleged rape and murder of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi.
The decision was taken as per the recommendations made by the investigation committee of the police headquarters, sources told Prothom Alo on Friday morning.
The investigation committee also recommended suspending Songazi police station sub-inspector Iqbal Hossain and taking departmental action against both of them for their role in the murder of Sonagazi Senior Fazil Madrasa student Nusrat, who was set on fire.
Five burkha clad people took part in setting Nusrat on fire for filing a case against the principal of the madrasa Siraj Ud Doula, who allegedly sexually harassed Nusrat.
The investigation report was recently submitted to the Inspector General of Police Javed Patwary.
The committee also found that Feni superintendent of police Jahangir Alam Sarkar and additional deputy commissioner PK Enamul Kabir did not carry out their duties properly after learning about the incident.
The report said the then OC of Sonagazi police station Moazzem Hossain and SI Iqbal Hossain tried to make it look like a suicide.
SP Jahangir Alam did not visit the crime scene though he came to know about the incident around 10:00am. Rather he left for Chattogram Hill Tracts. He returned after being instructed by the deputy inspector general of police of Chattogram range, it added.
The committee has recommended taking departmental action against the SP, police HQ sources said.
The committee’s observation about the additional deputy commissioner PK Enamul Kabir will be informed to the ministry concerned.
On 6 April, Nusrat Jahan Rafi was set afire at a centre of Alim examination allegedly by students loyal to principal Siraj Ud Doula of Sonagazi Senior Fazil Madrasa after he was arrested and subsequently suspended as she had accused him of sexually harassing her.
Critically injured Nusrat was immediately taken to the DMCH for better treatment where she underwent a surgery under life support on 9 April.
Nusrat, however, succumbed to her injuries around 9:30pm on 10 April.
There were allegations that police tried to make the incident look like a suicide attempt. OC Moazzem was withdrawn due to her family’s no-confidence in him.
On 13 April, the police headquarters formed a committee to find out the role of its officials in the incident. The committee finalised the report on 30 April.