Court orders division for OC Moazzem in prison

A tribunal in Dhaka yesterday ordered the jail authorities to provide former Sonagazi Police Station OC Moazzem Hossain with division in jail as per the Jail Code.

The former policeman is accused in a case filed over the recording of Nusrat Jahan Rafi’s statement on his phone and circulating the video clip on social media without her consent.

Dhaka Cyber Tribunal Judge Ash Sams Joglul Hossain passed the order after Moazzem’s lawyer submitted a petition for providing him with first class division in jail considering his social status.

Supreme Court lawyer Sayedul Haque Suman filed the case against Moazzem on April 15.

The tribunal on May 27 issued an arrest warrant against the former OC after Police Bureau of Investigation submitted a probe report into the matter.

Moazzem was arrested on June 16 from the capital’s Supreme Court area when he tried to get bail from the court.

The tribunal on June 17 rejected the bail petition of Moazzem and sent him to jail.

The tribunal also fixed June 30 for hearing on charge framing against him.

Nusrat, a student of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa in Feni’s Sonagazi upazila, was set ablaze on April 6 allegedly for refusing to withdraw a case filed against the madrasa principal, Siraj Ud Doula, for sexually harassing her.

She died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on April 10.

On the same day, the OC was withdrawn as Nusrat’s family alleged that he was not cooperating with them. 

During that time, a video clip showing Moazzem asking Nusrat some humiliating questions did the rounds on social media, drawing widespread criticism. Nusrat had gone to his office to file a complaint against Siraj.

Moazzem was suspended on May 8 for negligence in duty and attached to the office of DIG (Rangpur range).