Police have filed a charge sheet against former Biman Bangladesh Airlines managing director Shafiqur Rahman, his wife Bithi Akter, and two domestic workers over the abuse of a child domestic aide.
Uttara West Police Sub-Inspector (SI) Robel Mia, the investigating officer, submitted the charge sheet to court on Aug 31. The case, which led to Shafiqur’s arrest and loss of employment eight and a half months ago, is now ready for trial.
The case was transferred to the 9th Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal in Dhaka on Sept 23 before being assigned to Judge Sohel Rana of the 7th tribunal.
“The allegations in the case are true,” Robel told bdnews24.com, adding that the charge sheet detailed how the child was abused.
According to the charge sheet, the girl was hired to look after Shafiqur and Bithi’s child. Bithi allegedly began physically and mentally abusing her, while Rupali Khatun and Sufia Begum, two other domestic aides, joined in at their employer’s instruction.
The girl was allegedly forced to do household chores, denied adequate food and locked in a bathroom for days. When she tried to leave, she was stopped and sometimes survived by drinking bathroom water or consuming toothpaste. At times, she was taken out only to be forced to work.
The charge sheet also alleges that when the child became too ill to work, Bithi and the two domestic workers heated a metal cooking spatula over a stove and pressed it against her body. They also beat her with canes.
When the girl’s father visited, he was sometimes denied access to her. If he was allowed to see her, the accused allegedly dressed her in oversized clothes to conceal her injuries and stayed next to her during the meetings.
When the child became critically ill, Bithi called her father and handed her over after giving him a “misleading explanation”, the charge sheet says.
Shafiqur was also accused for allegedly turning a blind eye to his wife’s abuse. His lawyer Arifur Rahman said the child had told a court she had “never saw the MD”.
“Being named in a charge sheet does not automatically make someone guilty. We will face the trial,” the lawyer said.
On Feb 8, the child gave a statement about the abuse before Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Nazmin Akter. On Feb 21, Bithi gave a confessional statement before Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ismail, admitting to beating the girl several times over three to four days. Her statement did not describe the more severe abuse alleged in the charge sheet.
Sufia also gave a confessional statement, saying she beat the child on two occasions after the girl allegedly lied to Bithi, accusing her of stealing coconut oil and soap.
The victim’s father, Golam Mostafa, a resident of Ashulia, said he wanted the suspects to face justice.
“The scars from the injuries are still visible on her body. Her eyes often water. I cannot afford to get her treated because I lack the money,” he said.