The remand hearing for Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Shafiqur Rahman, his wife Bithi, and two others in a case concerning the assault of an 11-year-old domestic worker has been set for Tuesday.
Investigating officer and Sub-Inspector Robel Mia of Uttara West Police Station filed the application on Sunday. Metropolitan Magistrate Ishrat Jahan set Tuesday for the remand hearing in the presence of the accused. Earlier, the 11-year-old victim, Mohona, provided her testimony to the court, describing the assault she endured.
Following their arrest on 2 February, Shafiqur Rahman, Bithi, and two others were sent to jail. The other two accused are domestic workers Rupali Khatun and Sufia Begum, who were employed at the Biman MD’s residence.
According to case details, Jahangir Golam Mostafa, a security guard at Shafiqur Rahman’s residence in Uttara’s Sector 9, was informed that the household was looking for a young girl to work as a babysitter.
Mostafa, the victim’s father, met with Shafiqur and Bithi, who stated they would bear all expenses, including marriage, for the girl they would employ. Agreeing to this, Mostafa got Mohona the job at that residence in June last year.
Mohona’s father last saw her in good health at Shafiqur’s residence last year, on 2 November. However, soon afterwards, the accused stopped allowing Mohona from meeting her family.
On 31 January, Bithi called Mostafa and informed him that Mohona was ill and he should take her away. When Golam went to pick her up, Mostafa saw that Mohona had serious injuries on both her hands and various parts of her body. She could not even speak properly.
When asked what caused this, Sathi, the maid who had handed Mohona over to Mostafa, could not provide a satisfactory answer. Mostofa then admitted Mohona to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital.
During questioning, Mohona stated Shafiqur, Bithi, and other unidentified accused had at various times and without reason, assaulted her since Mostofa had last seen her. They had also heated a kitchen knife in fire and branded various parts of her body, causing serious injuries.
Subsequently, the victim’s father filed the case against the accused.
