Two teachers testified on Thursday before a Dhaka court in connection with the rape of a student by a teacher of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College’s Bashundhara branch in the capital.
The two prosecution witnesses, Dalia Nargis and Shahnewaz Parvin, both senior teachers of the school, gave their depositions and were cross-examined at the Women and Children Repression (Prevention) Tribunal-4.
The accused teacher, Parimal Joydhar, was present in court during the hearing.
Judge Md Arifur Rahman of the tribunal fixed January 7 as the next date for hearing another 22 witnesses.
So far, eight prosecution witnesses, out of 40, have given their depositions in the case.
According to the case files, Parimal on May 28, 2011 sexually assaulted the girl in his private coaching centre and recorded the incident with his mobile phone. He then threatened the girl, saying he would post the video recording and the photos on the internet if she told anyone about the assault. Parimal allegedly abused her again on June 17.
Later, the girl made a written complaint to the school authorities, but former principal Hosne Ara Begum, along with some teachers, tried to save the accused.
However, after days of protests by the students, the school’s governing body sacked Parimal on July 5, 2011.
The same day, the victim’s father filed a case with Badda police station, accusing Parimal, Hosne Ara and Lutfur Rahman, head of the school’s Bashundhara branch.
Detectives arrested Parimal from a relative’s house in Keraniganj on July 7.
Parimal made a confessional statement before a court on July 11, 2011.
Mohammad Shahadat Hossain, officer-in-charge of Badda Police Station and also the investigation officer of the case, submitted a chargesheet to the court on August 11, dropping the names of Hosne Ara and Lutfur Rahman.
The court finally framed charges against Parimal on March 7 last year.
Hosne Ara later stepped down as principal, while Lutfur Rahman was removed from his position.