Ex-Biman MD’s wife gives confessional statement in child abuse case
Bithi was taken on remand, underwent medical tests and was interrogated in line with High Court directives and during questioning, she admitted involvement and agreed to give a confessional statement in court.
The wife of former Biman Bangladesh Airlines MD and CEO Md Shafiqur Rahman has given a confessional statement at a Dhaka court in a case over the torture of an 11-year-old domestic worker.
After a seven-day remand, police produced the accused, Bithi, in court today (21 February).
As she had agreed to give a voluntary confessional statement, the investigating officer, Uttara West Police Station Sub-Inspector Robel Mia, sought permission to record it.
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Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ismail recorded her statement and later ordered that she be sent to jail, confirmed Tahmina Akter, sub-inspector of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Prosecution Division.
According to the petition, Bithi was taken on remand, underwent medical tests and was interrogated in line with High Court directives. During questioning, she admitted involvement and agreed to give a confessional statement in court.
Police said the investigation was ongoing and sought her continued detention until the probe is completed.
Around 3:30am on 2 February, Uttara West police arrested Shafiqur and Bithi at their Sector 9 residence in Uttara.
The following day, four people, including the former Biman MD and his wife, were shown arrested and sent to jail.
On 10 February, the court granted five days' remand for Shafiqur, seven days for Bithi, five days for domestic worker Rupali Khatun, and six days for Mosammat Sufia Begum. Rupali was later sent to jail on Thursday (19 February).
The former Biman MD refused to give a confessional statement yesterday (20 February), despite earlier consenting to do so, while domestic worker Mosammat Sufia Khatun gave a statement and was sent to jail.
According to the case statement, the complainant, a hotel employee, was contacted by the couple's security guard, Jahangir, who said they were looking for a young girl to care for their child.
Assured that all expenses, including future marriage costs, would be covered, the complainant placed his daughter in their household in June last year.
The girl's father last saw her healthy on 2 November but was barred from meeting her afterwards.
On 31 January, Bithi called, claiming the girl was ill and asking him to take her home.
When he went to the house around 7pm, he found his daughter with severe injuries on her hands and body and unable to speak properly. He admitted her to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital in Gazipur.
The child later told her father that since 2 November, Shafiqur, Bithi, and others had beaten and burned her with a heated metal spatula.
The victim's father subsequently filed a case at Uttara West Police Station over the alleged torture.
