Sacked Daily Star executive editor's mother demands fair investigation, rejects allegations by 117 eminent citizens 

The mother of The Daily Star's former executive editor Syed Ashfaqul Haque on Wednesday (17 April) released a statement demanding fair investigation into the case against her son and daughter-in-law Tania Khondoker. 

"I make this statement to shed light on an accidental death [according to prosecution death arising out of negligence] and the unjust media speculation, spread of falsehoods, distortion of facts and far-fetched misinterpretation during the ongoing investigation of the case," Anowara Mahbub said. 

Recounting the events preceding the case, she said on 6 February, Preeti Urang, an irregular domestic househelp, fell to her death from Ashfaqul's flat in the capital's Mohammadpur. 

"The death came as a huge shock for the couple, who were asleep at the time of the accident, and they both surrendered to the law," she said.  

Anowara wrote that Ashfaque informed the police immediately. 

Adding that since then her son and his wife had been behind for 71 days, she said, "However, a statement of 117 citizens of Bangladesh released on 2 April this year over Preeti's death came to my notice. During investigation these statements tantamount to contempt of Court because it is now a sub judice matter."

On the issue of police inaction, she wrote her son was taken into police custody within hours of the incident, interrogated multiple times and produced before a court the next day. 

She also categorically denied the allegation that Ashfaque and Tania physically assaulted their househelp. 

"No competent authorities, no investigators, and not even the case filed by Preeti Urang's family made such a claim," she wrote. 

She also questioned what proof the 117 citizens had to "ascertain that she was hanging from the grill for about 13 minutes."

On the rumours about missing CCTV footage from Ashfaque's home, she said the only camera in the house was for live streaming and did not store any data.

On the claims that in August 2003, another househelp, Ferdausi, who fell from the flat had wounds leading up to the anus, she said it was outrageous as doctors at the Dhaka Medical College had said the injury were on two small tissues located outside the female reproductive organ.

She also rejected the claims made by 117 citizens following a spot visit to Ferdausi.  

"Upon months-long investigation, Mohammadpur police did not find any foul play by my  son and submitted the final report, and both the family and the CMM court in Dhaka accepted it. Ashfaque and Tania were discharged by the court," she said.  

She further said there was no out of court settlement, rather "an amount agreed upon by all parties deposited in the judicial account with Bangladesh Bank."

"To sum up, I reject all the false claims and the insinuations made in the said statement. I now demand an unbiased, thorough, impartial, and fair investigation to unveil the truth and ensure justice." 

The Daily Star on 2 April issued a termination notice to its Executive Editor Syed Ashfaqul Haque, who is currently in jail in a case filed over the death of a teenage maid after falling from his flat in the capital.

Ashfaqul and his wife Tania Khondoker were sent to jail on 7 February in a case filed over the death.