Give division to ex-Sonagazi OC Moazzem: Court

A Dhaka court on Monday asked the authorities concerned to provide division to Moazzem Hossain, former officer-in-charge of Sonagazi police station in Feni, as per the jail code in a case filed under the Digital Security Act, reports UNB.

Judge of Dhaka Cyber Tribunal Ash-Shams Jaglul Hussein passed the order when Moazzem's lawyer Faruk Ahmed filed a petition seeking division for his client.

On 17 June, the same court sent Moazzem to jail, rejecting his bail petition in the case filed over circulating a video on social media on Feni madrasa girl Nusrat Jahan Rafi's statement at Sonagazi police station.

Police arrested him from the High Court area on 16 June.

A Dhaka court issued an arrest warrant for the former Sonagazi OC in the case on 27 May. But he could not be traced after the issuance of warrant for his arrest.

Allegations brought against Moazzem after Nusrat Jahan Rafi's murder was found to be authentic by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).

Lawyer Syed Sayedul Haque Suman, a Supreme Court lawyer, filed the case against Moazzem under the Digital Security Act on 15 May.

The former OC was accused of illegally interrogating Nusrat and recording the episode on his phone. The video was later circulated on the social media.

Moazzem summoned Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa's principal Sirajuddoula and Nusrat to the police station after the latter accused her teacher of sexually harassing her.

The OC interrogated Nusrat in the absence of her lawyer or any other woman. She was crying but the OC paid no heed and kept questioning her using inappropriate language.

Nusrat's mother had filed a case with Sonagazi police over her daughter's sexual harassment. On 6 April, the girl was set on fire at an exam centre in Sonagazi upazila of Feni district, by people loyal to Sirajuddoula. She died on 10 April at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

Moazzem was withdrawn the same day and suspended a month later on charge of negligence of duty.