Cross-examination of plaintiff in Nusrat murder case starts for the second day

The lawyers of the accused have started the cross-examination of the plaintiff in the Nusrat Jahan Rafi murder case for the second day. On Sunday (30 June) at 11 am, the cross examination started in Feni's Woman and Children Reression Prevention Tribunal Judge Mamunur Rashid's courtroom.

Before this, on Thursday, after the case's plaintiff's testimony, the lawyers cross-examined the nine main accused out of the sixteen accused, including Madrasa Principal Siraz Uddaula. Today, Kamrun Nahar Moni, and Umme Sultana Popy alias Shampa will be cross-examined.

According to court sources, Public Prosecutor Hafez Ahammad has given this information to Dhaka Tribune and said: "Advocate Ahsan Kabir Bengal and Nurul Islam began the first cross examination of Noman, the plaintiff in the case, on Sunday (30 June) at 11:30 am. On this day, when the accused's examination in chief is finished, five advocates of the accused are present to cross-examine the five accused."

Advocate of the accused M Shahjahan Saju has said to Dhaka Tribune: "We are expecting that the cross-examination of Mahmudul Hasan Noman's will be finished today. At the same time, testimony may be taken from Nusrat's two classmates Nishat Sultana, and Nasrin Sultana."

Court Inspector Golam Jilani has said to Dhaka Tribune, "Sixteen accused, including the case's main accused Madrasa Principal Siraj Uddin, was brought to the courtroom of Judge Mamunur Rashid of the Feni Woman and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal, under strict security measures."

Court sources report that, before this the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) Inspector, and the case's investigating officer Md. Shah Alam Pradhan gave a 869 page charge sheet accusing sixteen, including prime accused Siraj Uddaula at Feni's Amli court's Senior Judicial Magistrate Md. Jakir Hossain's court.

After that, when the accused were presented to the court on 30 May, the court didn't originate a hearing of the case, and sent it to Feni's Woman and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal.

The hearing of the case started on 10 June. The court constituted a complaint against sixteen on 20 June.

In context, miscreants doused Alim examinee Nusrat Jahan alias Rafi in kerosene, and set her on fire on 6 April. She died on 10 April while under treatment in Dhaka Medical College's Burn and Plastic Surgery Department. Nusrat's brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman filed a case against eight accused in the Sonagazi Police Station. Later, the case was transferred to PBI. The police, and the PBI has arrested 21 in this case. Among them, 12 had given depositions under section 164.

Before this, Principal Siraj Uddaula sexually harassed Nusrat after calling her into his own room. The police arrested, and sent Siraj Uddaula to jail when Nusrat's mother filed a complaint with the Sonagazi Model Police Station. Nusrat was murdered for not withdrawing that complaint.

Evidence has been found of negligence by three police officers in this incident. Also, ex-OC Moazzem has been arrested in this case of sexual harassment, and for spreading the video of Nusrat's deposition on the internet.