Let's Not Forget Her Cry

An old man of around eighty years of age is often seen crying. Sitting at the balcony of their small apartment, the heartbroken old man is waiting, in vain, for his only granddaughter—who was raped and killed four months ago. "I believe Tonu has not died. She is still alive. Please bring her back to me. If they bring her back I promise you, we will leave the cantonment area," he cries.  Even his family members, such as Tonu's mother and father, who are also equally broken at their core, could not soothe this old man. Unfortunately all their tears have gone in vain.

On March 20, the mutilated, lifeless body of Sohagi Jahan Tonu, a 19 year old student of Comilla Victoria College was found in Moinamoti cantonment area. The autopsy was performed on the day after Tonu was murdered. However, it took fifteen days to publish the autopsy report which only said that the cause of Tonu's death could not be identified. And, the report also said that there was no evidence of rape on Tonu's body.

Meanwhile, the spot where Tonu's body was found was mysteriously cleared. The Chairman of National Human Rights Commission, Professor Dr Mizanur Rahman said that he saw grass and bushes in the first photo of the spot; however, when he visited the area he noticed that all the grasses and bushes were completely removed (The Daily Prothom Alo, March 31, 2016).

Photo: Star File

Then, seven days after the first autopsy, Tonu's body was exhumed and the second autopsy was performed. At that time on March 30, police superintendent of Comilla district told Prothom Alo that there was no doubt that Tonu was murdered and from the condition of the dead body it looked like she was raped (Prothom Alo, April 4, 2016). After a three-month long period of procrastination, the report of the second autopsy was published only to say that doctors found evidence of "sexual intercourse" on Tonu's body. Dr Kamoda Prashad Saha who headed the second autopsy also said, "The body was highly decomposed so the cause of death could be determined by circumstantial evidences and further investigation (The Daily Star, June 12, 2016)." However, it was published in the autopsy report that spermatozoa of three different men were found on her body, but, nowhere in the report it was said that Tonu was raped and murdered.

So it has become evident that after two phases of autopsy the doctors could not identify how Tonu was murdered. And, the second autopsy report was fashioned in a way that it would look like Tonu was not raped, rather she was having sexual intercourse with three men! Is this not a very blatant way of hiding evidence and a heinous attempt to divert the course of investigation? The entire nation has been shocked to see such indifference of the responsible authorities.

Now, Tonu's parents are not only aggrieved, but also they are frightened. Tonu's mother Anwara Begum said, "Tonu's father was prohibited from speaking to the media. The army has seized all the possessions of Tonu from our home. We don't even have any photograph of her in our home through which we could remember her."

"Several attempts to kill Tonu's father were made. Tonu's elder brother cannot come home in fear of attack and harassment. Can't we get justice only because we are poor?" cries Tonu's helpless mother. However, public relation office of Bangladesh army denied such a claim, terming it baseless (Daily Prothom Alo, June 11, 2016).

Tonu's murder had infuriated the entire nation. Outraged people from all walks of life organised protests all over the country. As the days go by, the protest of Bangladeshis demanding justice for Tonu has lost its momentum and the helpless cry of Tonu's family members do not move people anymore. However, if we cannot ensure justice for Tonu and her family members, despite such a strong countrywide protest, it will be a historic shame for Bangladesh and its people.