Citizen group calls for fair probe into Preeti’s death

A group of citizens and rights activists yesterday placed a 10-point demand, including an independent, impartial and transparent investigation into the death of Preeti Urang.

At a press conference at Jatiya Press Club under the banner of Socheton Nagorik Samaj, they also called for bringing those responsible for her death to justice.

Preeti Urang, 15, died after she fell through an opening of former executive editor of The Daily Star Syed Ashfaqul Haque's eighth-floor flat in the capital's Mohammadpur on February 6.

Preeti, from Moulvibazar, was a house help at the residence.

Farah Tanzim Titil, an associate professor of economics at Islamic University in Kushtia read out a written statement at the press conference.

The group's demands also include shifting the case under Women and Children Repression Prevention Act and holding the trial under Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunals. Additionally, they called for adequate compensations for Preeti's family.

They also demanded that the government turn the child labour policy into a law and raise the minimum age for employment as house help to 18 years form existing 14.

"We will not accept if the investigation changes course under pressure from any influential quarters," reads the statement.

"We call on human rights organisations, women's rights bodies, social organisations and conscious citizens to be more vocal and active to ensure that not a single domestic help is subjected to torture."

Khushi Kabir, coordinator, Nijera Kori, said, "We don't want recurrence of such deaths in our society. We want an end to all kinds of torture and abuse of domestic helps."

She added, "We simply want a society where no one can go unpunished after committing injustice."

Tobarok Hossain, Rana Dasgupta, Rahnuma Ahmed, Prof Gitiara Nasreen, Prof Zobaida Nasreen, Abul Hossain, Priscilla Raj, Nasimun Ara Huq, singer Shayan, among others, were also present.

Ashfaqul and his wife Tania Khondoker are currently in jail.

A day after Preeti's death, her father filed a case with Mohammadpur Police Station against the couple under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code, which deals with death caused by negligence.

The couple have been denied bail three times by the lower courts.

The High Court on April 22 issued a rule asking the government to explain in eight weeks why they should not be granted bail. The HC also granted ad-interim bail to Tania for six months.