Bail denied, ex-OC Moazzem sent to jail
Sonagazi police produced Moazzem before the court at 2pm
Bangladesh Cyber Tribunal Court on Monday sent former officer-in-charge (OC) of Sonagazi Police Station Moazzem Hossain to jail, after rejecting his bail petition.
Moazzem, dressed in sunglasses and T-shirt, was escorted by the police without handcuffs at the court around 12 noon. He was placed in a prison cell of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court.
Dhaka Cyber Tribunal Judge Mohammad As-Sams Jaglul Hossain rejected the bail plea and ordered that Moazzem be sent to jail. The court also fixed June 30 for framing charges.
Defence lawyer Mohammad Faruk Hossain represented the former OC while public prosecutor Nazrul Islam Shamim represented the state.
On Sunday, police arrested Moazzem Hossain around 3pm. He was handed over to the custody of Sonagazi police station around 9:30am on Monday.
Moazzem was arrested from Shahbagh area for spreading a video of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi on social media without her consent.
Earlier on April 15, Supreme Court lawyer Sayedul Haque Sumon filed a case against Moazzem under the Digital Security Act.
On April 10, Moazzem was withdrawn and attached to the Armed Police Battalion (APBN).
He was suspended on May 10 on charge of negligence of duty in connection with the death of Nusrat after an arson attack.
Dhaka Cyber Tribunal Judge Ash-Shams Jaglul Hussein issued a warrant for Moazzem’s arrest on May 27.
According to the case statement, Moazzem called Nusrat to the police station on March 27 after she had filed a complaint against Maulana Siraj-ud-Doula, principal of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa, for sexually harassing her.
While at the police station, the then OC allegedly asked the victim offensive and unpleasant questions over the incident and made a video of the conversation. Later, Moazzem spread the video on social media.
On April 6, Nusrat was set on fire at an examination centre allegedly by people loyal to the principal of her madrasa after he had been arrested and subsequently suspended as she had accused him of sexually harassing her in Sonagazi upazila of Feni district.
She lost her life on April 10 while under treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
A case was later filed, accusing eight identified people, including madrasa Principal Siraj-ud-Doula, lecturer of English Absar Uddin, Feni municipality Councilor Maksudul Alam Maksud, and four unidentified ones.