Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) today demanded judicial inquiry into the role of police over the much-talked-about Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi murder.

The anti-corruption watchdog, in a press statement, also demanded strong enforcement of law against the people responsible for the killing.

TIB said that the number and scale of such cruelties against women has taken an unpredictable turn.

“There is no alternative of strong enforcement of law against the offenders and their cohorts to resist the situation,” TIB said in the statement.

Observing that the arrest of the accused in the quickest time is not enough for the police force, TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said, “We expect that the investigation into the case will be done in a fair manner and the offenders would be given exemplary punishment.”

“We are scared of the allegation raised over inaction of the respective police officer and his connivance in the incident centering the brutal killing,” Iftekharuzzaman said.

He said they came to known from the media reports that the respective police officer did not take Nusrat’s allegation into his account sincerely, rather he raised questions over authenticity of the allegation.

Even after killing Nusrat by setting fire on her through pouring kerosene, the police officer tried to describe the incident as an attempted suicide, the TIB executive director said referring to the media reports.

There are allegations that the police officer also tried to divert the incident to another direction while receiving case, Iftekhar said.

“Every complaint will have to be investigated in a fair way and the respective police officer and the police department will have to be held accountable. And thus, we demanded judicial inquiry,” he said.

The culture of impunity will take an institutional shape in the country if the police department does not discharge its duties appropriately, Iftekhar expresses his concern.

He also alleged that the superintendent of police in Feni took position in favour of the police officer in black and white when an investigation was going on for his inaction over the killing incident.

“So, we can’t absolutely rely on how the police investigation will be effective,” Iftekhar said.

“Only withdrawal of the police officer cannot be a punishment,” he said adding that the countrymen want to see the reflection of the prime minister’s assurance that the perpetrators who set fire on Nusrat to death would not be spared. 

“With the view, we are demanding an immediate step for the judicial inquiry,” Iftekharuzzaman said in the statement.

WHAT HAPPENED TO NUSRAT?

Madrasa student and Alim examinee Nusrat lost her battle for life, five days after she was set afire on April 6 -- an incident that touched off outrage all over the country.

A group of five people poured kerosene on the 18-year-old girl and set her afire allegedly for refusing to withdraw a case against the principal of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa over sexual assault on her late last month.

Principal Siraj Ud Doula has been in jail since Nusrat’s mother filed a case accusing him of sexually harassing Nusrat at his office room on March 27.