A group of prominent citizens has urged the government to ensure immediate bail for 23-year-old entrepreneur Jannati Hossain, who has been “unjustly” kept behind bars for four months in connection with the death of her business partner in a car crash.
Thirty-one teachers, professionals and rights activists issued a press statement on Tuesday, condemning Jannati’s “unlawful detention” and calling for the withdrawal of “false accusations” of murder against her.
On June 11, Jannati was detained by the police after the car she was driving reportedly suffered a brake failure and crashed into a police van, killing her business partner Mostamsir Ashraf – who was on the passenger seat beside Jannati. Jannati suffered injuries as well, along with three law enforcers who were inside the van.
Initially, only an an accident case was filed against Jannati for reckless driving – an offence which is bailable. But 11 days after the incident, Mostamsir’s uncle filed a murder case against Jannati, her husband, and her brothers with a Dhaka court, reportedly after having failed to convince local police to accept a murder case.
The court later ordered investigators to merge the two cases against her, and since then Jannati has been denied bail and taken on remand for a total of 15 days.
There are allegations that Mostamsir’s father – a former district court judge and the incumbent inspector general of registration (IGR) – has been using his political influence to steer the case against Jannati.
“With evidence and testimonies that point toward nothing but accident, and without establishing intent, Jannati’s indefinite imprisonment is unconstitutional. And the court refusing to give any explanation for rejecting bail is complicit in the abuse of power by Mostansir’s [sic] family,” the citizens’ statement read.
“We, the undersigned, are shocked by and vehemently protest Jannati Hossain’s unlawful detention. We demand that she be immediately released on bail and that the murder charge against her be withdrawn,” it added.
An online petition is also being circulated on social media on this regard.
The statement was signed by noted activists and professionals including former adviser to the caretaker government Rokia Afzal Rahman; rights activist Khushi Kabir; Dhaka University teachers Prof Sadeka Halim, Dr Geetiara Nasreen, Dr Kaberi Gayen, Dr Samina Lutfa; Jahangirnagar University teacher Nasrin Khandokar; Jagannath University teachers Shyamoli Shill, Rajib Mir; singer Quazi Krishnakali Islam and other entrepreneurs, journalists and rights activists.
