Death of teenage maid: Indictment hearing against ex-Daily Star executive editor, wife deferred to 2 Sept

A Dhaka court today (22 July) deferred the hearing on charge framing against former Daily Star executive editor Syed Ashfaqul Haque and his wife Tania Khondoker, in a case filed over the death of their teenage domestic worker, Preeti Urang, by negligence.

Judge Md Alamgir Hossain of Dhaka's First Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court deferred the hearing after the defence sought more time and set 2 September for the next hearing.

Court bench assistant ASM Shahadat Ali confirmed the matter, saying the court granted the defence's plea to defer the hearing on charge framing.

According to the case statement,  Preeti Urang, 15, died after falling from the ninth floor of a residential building in Mohammadpur on 6 February 2024, where she worked at the home of Syed Ashfaqul Haque.

Preeti, from Mittinga village in Moulvibazar's Kamalganj upazila, was alleged to have died due to negligence. 

Her father, Lokesh Urang, later filed a case against Ashfaqul Haque and his wife under Section 304A of the Penal Code.

Police recovered the body and sent it to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital morgue for an autopsy.

On 31 March, the investigation officer, Sub-Inspector SM Mahmud Reza of the Detective Branch's Tejgaon Zone, submitted the charge sheet.

The charge sheet said preliminary evidence found negligence by Syed Ashfaqul Haque and his wife, Tania Khondoker.

It also said another domestic worker had previously fallen from a window in the same apartment, but no safety measures were installed afterward.

Based on physical evidence, DNA testing, forensic reports and witness statements, investigators concluded that failing to install window safety barriers and leaving the windows unsecured amounted to negligence that led to Preeti's death.

The autopsy report said Preeti died from neurogenic hyposthenic shock caused by severe injuries sustained in the fall.