Bail denied, OC Moazzem sent to jail

Controversial ex Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sonagazi police station Moazzem Hossain, accused of harassing a female madrassah student in Bangladesh’s southern Feni district, has been sent to jail by court order denying his bail petition.

Moazzem, who had been in hiding since last month, was arrested from Dhaka's High Court area on June 16 on charges of illegally recording a sex assault victim.

Dhaka Cyber Tribunal Judge Ash Shams Jaglul Hussein passed the order after Sonagazi police produced Moazzem before his court in the case filed under the Digital Security Act.

The tribunal also scheduled, June 30, as the next hearing date for this case.

Lawyer Faruk Ahmed stood for the bail petitioner. Supreme Court lawyer, Barrister Sayed Sayedul Haque Suman, the plaintiff, was also present during the hearing.

Later, OC Moazzem was presented before the Bangladesh Cyber Tribunal around 2pm Monday.

Moazzem, who had been in hiding since last month, was arrested from Dhaka's Shahbagh area on June 16.

Why Moazzem arrested

The OC is a key accused in the case pertaining to the murder of Nusrat Jahan Rafi, who was set on fire two months ago.

Nusrat went to Sonagazi model police station to file a case against Sonagazi Islamia Fazil (Degree) Madrasa Principal Sirajuddaula, on March 27, for sexually assaulting her the day before.

Moazzem recorded a video of her statement without her consent, asking her offensive and insulting questions. The video then surfaced on various social media platforms. It was reported that Moazzem had put up the video.

Eighteen-year-old Nusrat, an Alim examinee, was set on fire by Sirajuddaula’s followers on April 6 for refusing to withdraw the rape attempt case her family had filed against him. She died from burn injuries four days later.

On April 10, Moazzem was withdrawn from his post as OC and transferred to the Armed Police Battalion, after Nusrat’s family said he had not been cooperating with them.

On May 15, Supreme Court lawyer Syedul Haque Sumon filed a case against Moazzem under the Digital Security Act.

The Dhaka Cyber Tribunal ordered the OC's arrest on May 27 when the PBI found the allegations against him to be true.

Later, OC Moazzem filed a bail petition with the High Court. Since then, the OC was a fugitive on the run until his arrest on Sunday.

Kamruzzaman