Preeti Urang's death: Rights activists demand trial under women repression prevention act

The case filed over the death of Preeti Urang, a househelp of former executive editor of The Daily Star Ashfaqul Haque, should be tried immediately by the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, rights activists demand.

At a press conference organised under the banner of "Shocheton Nagorik Shomaj" at the Jatiya Press Club yesterday, they alleged that the matter was being covered up through a case over death by negligence.

Islamic University Assistant University Professor Farha Tanjim Titil read out a written statement at the press conference moderated by human rights activist Khushi Kabir.

A few demands were put forward along with punishment of the culprits after proper investigation.

The demands include conducting the trial under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, adequate financial compensation to the victim's family, proper treatment and education of another housekeeper who was seriously injured after falling from Ashfaqul Haque's residence last year, adequate compensation for her, examination of wounds on her body.

In addition, demands were made to bring the house manager, guard and Moulvibazar representative of The Daily Star  - Mintu Deshwara  - under investigation.

Preeti Urang, daughter of a tea worker in Moulvibazar, fell to her death from the eighth-floor apartment of Syed Ashfaqul Haque in Dhaka's Mohammadpur on 6 February.

The next day, her father, Lukesh Urang, filed a case with Mohammadpur police station, against Ashfaqul Haque and his wife Tania Khondoker. Following the filing of the case, both accused were promptly arrested.

Lukesh, in the case, said Preeti fell from the apartment due to the absence of safety bars on the window of the flat's drawing space. On 7 February, the couple were sent to jail after a court denied them bail in the case.

The High Court has granted bail to Tania but she is yet to walk out of jail.