The family of college student Mosarat Jahan Munia will challenge the police’s final report exonerating Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir of abetting the suicide.
Her elder sister Nusrat Jahan filed the case under Section 306 of the Penal Code with Gulshan police alleging that the accused had forced the girl to take her life at her apartment in Gulshan on April 27.
The duo were in a relationship for two years, police said earlier. Sayem also visited the apartment several times, according to the CCTV footage, and was last seen on April 20.
Plaintiff Nusrat Jahan on Thursday expressed frustration, alleging that she had received no cooperation from the law enforcers in connection with the case.
“The investigating officer did not inform me anything about the probe report,” she told Dhaka Tribune at the Dhaka Judge’s Court.
According to Section 306 of the Penal Code, if any person commits suicide, whoever abets the commission of such suicide, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term, which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Police earlier said that the six personal diaries of Munia were the most important pieces of evidence in the case. She had written about social recognition of her relationship, her expectations about conjugal life, obstacles, and distance with her partner, as well as his family problems.
On July 19, Officer In-Charge of Gulshan police station Abul Hasan, also the IO of this case, filed the final report with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court.
Sayem is the son of Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, the chairman of Bashundhara, one of the largest business groups in Bangladesh.
A hearing on the report was scheduled for Thursday but it was postponed due to the strict Covid-19 restrictions, court sources said.
On May 2, Munia’s sister lodged a general diary with Kotwali police station in Comilla, alleging that she had been threatened over the phone.
After the girl’s death, a Dhaka court imposed a travel ban on Sayem after Gulshan police OC Abul Hassan moved a petition on April 27.
On the other hand, Sayem filed a petition with the High Court, seeking anticipatory bail in the petition, the following day. But the court declined to hear the matter.
On April 29, Sayem’s wife and four other members of his family left the country on a chartered flight. Sayem was not arrested in the case. Police also did not disclose whether they had questioned the accused.
Last week, 51 eminent citizens of the country demanded a reinvestigation into the death of Muni, expressing concern over obstruction at a public meeting organized demanding proper trial, unrestrained movement of Sayem after the case, slander about Munia, and harassment of the plaintiff.
They also urged the government to ensure that the police had a proper and fair analysis of the important evidence in the case.
In a joint statement, the citizens also requested the government to find out whether the Padma Bank authorities had fired the plaintiff in the face of any pressure.
The statement adds: "We believe that a proper investigation and appropriate trial of Munia's suicide or murder is essential in the interest of maintaining public confidence on the rule of law of the country."