NHRC orders investigation into 'torture of mother, daughter by traffic sergeant'

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the Public Security Division to launch an investigation into the alleged torture of two women- mother and daughter- by police in the capital's Mohammadpur.

The commission made the move following a report published by a local daily on Thursday (28 September) under the headline "Scuffle with female sergeant- Relatives provide painkillers to mother-daughter in jail", it said in a press statement on Friday (29 September).

According to the report, traffic police sergeant Hasina Khatun fined Dilara Akhtar's private car Tk 5,000 for illegal parking at the Shia Masjid area in Mohammadpur on Tuesday (26 September) night. Dilara and her daughter Tashfia locked in an altercation with the sergeant over the fine.

At one stage, there was a scuffle between them. Later, the mother and daughter duo were sent to jail in a case filed on Wednesday (27 September) by Hasina Khatun with Mohammadpur police station. Both were later sent to Kashimpur Central Jail. 

After meeting with Dilara and Tashfia in jail, their family alleged both had fallen sick there and were suffering from severe pain due to beating.

NHRC Chairman Dr Kamal Uddin Ahmed said, "In view of the news reports, the description given by Dilara Akhter and her daughter Tasfia of being tortured by the traffic sergeant is extremely frightening.

"On the other hand, the police say, after learning about the fine, Dilara Akhtar came out of her house and misbehaved with Sergeant Hasina and at one point hit the traffic law enforcer.

"In reviewing the matter, the statements of both sides appear to be contradictory. In the context described, the National Human Rights Commission feels that a fair and impartial investigation is necessary to establish the facts of the incident."