The case filed in connection with the death of Preeti Urang, a housekeeper of former executive editor of The Daily Star Ashfaqul Haque, should be tried immediately by the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, demands Shocheton Nagorik Shomaj (Conscious Citizens' Society).
Speakers at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club today (25 April) organised by the civil body also alleged that the matter was being covered up through a death by negligence case. Associate Professor Farha Tanjim Titil read the written statement at the press conference moderated by human rights activist Khushi Kabir. A few demands were put forward along with punishment of the culprits after proper investigation.
The demands included conducting the trial of the case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, adequate financial compensation to victim's family, proper treatment for and education of another child who survived after being abused in Ashfaqul Haque's residence and adequate compensation, examination of special wounds on the body, and bringing the house manager, guard and Moulvibazar representative of The Daily Star - Mintu Deshwara – under investigation.
Preeti Urang, daughter of a tea worker in Moulvibazar, fell to her death from the eighth-floor apartment of Syed Ashfaqul Haque in Dhaka's Mohammadpur on 6 February.
The next day, her father, Lukesh Urang, filed a case with Mohammadpur police station, against journalist Ashfaqul Haque and his wife, Tania Khondoker. Following the filing of the case, both accused were promptly arrested.
Lukesh, in the case, said that Preeti fell from the apartment due to the absence of safety bars on the window of the flat's drawing space. He highlighted that a similar incident occurred last year on 4 August, where another housekeeper sustained severe injuries from falling out of the same window.
On 7 February, the couple were sent to jail after a court denied them bail in the case.
Later, on 13 February, Syed Ashfaqul Haque and his wife Tania Khondoker were granted a four-day remand in the case.
Both of them have been denied bail a number of times now.