HC directs BTRC to remove woman assault video from social media

947

DHAKA, Oct 05, 2020 (BSS) – The High Court (HC) issued a rule today directing the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to remove the video showing a woman in Begumganj of Noakhali being cruelly assaulted by some miscreants from social media.

A virtual High Court division bench comprising Justice Mohammad Mojibur Rahman Mia and Justice Mohammad Mohi Uddin Shamim passed the order.

According to the order, BTRC chairman was asked to save the video in a pen-drive or CD, while the Noakhali Superintendent of Police (SP) was directed to provide all kinds of security to the abused woman and her family.

The High Court has constituted a three-member committee led by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Noakhali to find out any case of negligence of the local law enforcement agencies in the incident and taking statements and legal action against the miscreants.

The committee has been asked to report to the Registrar of the High Court within 15 working days.

Noakhali social service officer and principal of Chaumuhani Government SA College has also been included in the committee.

The officer-in-charge of Begumganj police station has been directed to submit a report to the court by October 28 stating the latest status of the criminal case.

The court also issued a rule asking why appropriate legal and departmental action would not be directed against Begumganj Thana OC and officials for negligence in protecting the woman and taking swift action against the miscreants.

Also, Home Affairs Secretary, Noakhali Deputy Commissioner and Begumganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer and other concerned officials have been asked to respond to the rule within two weeks.

President of the Supreme Court Bar Association AM Amin Uddin, Secretary Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal, Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, Yadia Zaman, Jamiul Haque Faisal, Rashida Chowdhury Nilu, Tanzeem Al Islam and others expressed their views in the court.

Deputy Attorney General Nowroz Russell Chowdhury represented the state.

A video of a woman being stripped and tortured in a village in Eklashpur Union of Noakhali’s Begumganj, which took place more than a month ago, went viral on Facebook on Sunday.
The local police rescued the woman and took her into custody on Sunday night. Also, four people involved in the incident were arrested.
The woman filed a case with Begumganj police station.
According to the case, the victim had been staying at her father’s home for several months after a dispute with her husband.

The miscreants broke into her house and tortured her on September 2 night as earlier she dodged the inappropriate proposals made by them.

The miscreants blackmailed the victim after the assault and released the video on social media where it went viral and got condemnation from the people.

The next day, Supreme Court lawyer Md Abdullah Al Mamun filed an application in the court asking to remove the viral video.