DHAKA, March 28, 2020 (BSS) – A special tribunal here is not being able to
take forward the proceedings of a case lodged over the rape of two private
university students in hotel The Raintree Dhaka at capital’s Banani in 2017,
in absence of an important witness.
Safat Ahmed, son of Apan Jewellers owner Dildar Ahmed, and his friends Naim
Ashraf and Sadman Sakif allegedly raped the two girls on March 28, 2017,
bringing them in that hotel for joining a birthday party.
One of the victims filed the case on May 6, 2017, with Banani Police
Station in this connection.
The case is now pending in Dhaka 7th Women and Children Repression
Prevention Tribunal, where on September 4, 2019, Dhaka Chief Metropolitan
Magistrates Satyabrata Shikder and Khurshid Alam testified as witnesses.
Since then no witnesses turned up to be examined.
“Proceedings of the case are getting lingered a little because of the
ongoing coronavirus transmission fear. Witnesses will be produced again when
the situation will become normal again. We hope the case will be disposed of
soon,” Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu told BSS.
Defence counsel Faruk Ahammed, however, blamed the absence of vital
witness Ahmed Shahriar, friend of two victims, for the delay in the case
proceedings.
“The hearing is at its fag end. After his examination, the doctor, the
magistrate and the investigation officer will testify in the case, bringing
an end to the case. But he is not appearing before the court responding to
the court’s summon. The prosecution should produce him before the court to
help dispose of the case soon,” Faruk said.
The accused in the case are – Safat Ahmed, Naim Ashraf, Sadman Sakif,
Safat’s bodyguard Rahmat Ali and driver Billal Hossain.
Police filed charge sheet on June 8, 2017, against five including Safat in
the case, and a court on July 13, 2017, framed charges against the accused.