The family of Naimul Abrar Rahat, a ninth-grade student from Dhaka Residential Model College has still not received justice, even after five years since his death.
Naimul Abrar died from electrocution during an event organized by the Kishore Alo magazine of Prothom Alo on November 1, 2019. Ten individuals, including ‘Prothom Alo’ Editor Matiur Rahman were charged in connection with the incident. However, the court later acquitted ‘Kishore Alo’ Editor and Writer Anisul Haque and proceeded to charge the remaining nine individuals.
The formal trial of this high-profile case commenced, but the proceedings were suspended at the higher court due to an appeal from the defense. As a result, the victim's family has yet to receive justice, even after five years.
The other individuals charged in the case include Prothom Alo's Head of Event and Activation Kabir Bakul, Executives Shah Paran Tushar and Shuvashish Pramanik, Kishor Alo Senior Assistant Editor Mahitul Alam , as well as Jasim Uddin, Mosharraf Hossain, Sujon and Kamrul Howlader from the decoration and generator supplier company. All the accused are out on bail.
In this regard, the plaintiff's lawyer Mohammad Omar Faruk Asif said, " The trial proceedings of the case are on hold due to a stay order from the higher court. I handle the part in the judge's court. Apart from that, I don't know anything."
On November 6,2019, Naimul Abrar's father, Mojibur Rahman filed a lawsuit against Matiur Rahman, the editor and publisher of Prothom Alo, along with the publisher of Kishore Alo.
In this context, the court ordered the immediate exhumation of student Naimul Abrar's body for an autopsy. Additionally, it instructed that the new case be combined with the existing unnatural death case and that an investigation be carried out, with the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Mohammadpur Police Station submitting a report.
After the investigation, on January 16, 2020, Sub-Inspector (SI) Mohammad Abdul Alim of Mohammadpur police station submitted a report accusing 10 people, including the editor of Prothom Alo.
The report indicates that evidence of negligence by the Kishore Alo authorities has been found in relation to Naimul Abrar's death.
Later, on November 12 ,2020 , the court ordered the start of the trial by framing charges against 9 people, including Matiur Rahman, the editor of Prothom Alo. However, at the same time, the court dismissed the case against Anisul Haque, the editor and writer of Kishore Alo.
On December 6, 2020, the editor of Prothom Alo filed a petition with the High Court to have the case dismissed, questioning the validity of the charges.
On December 13, 2020, a virtual High Court bench, led by Justices Md. Rezaul Haque and Md. Atoar Rahman, temporarily halted the case proceedings for six months after considering a petition filed by the editor of Prothom Alo to dismiss the case.
The prosecution filed a petition on December 21 to suspend this order in the Appellate Division. Later, on December 23, the Chamber Court of the Supreme Court's Appellate Division issued a 'no order' on the prosecution's petition to suspend the High Court's order. As a result, the Appellate Division upheld the suspension of the case proceedings ordered by the High Court.
Defense lawyer Prashant Karmakar stated, "The higher court has put a hold on the trial proceedings of this case. No witnesses have been called in this case."
The case allegations state that such an event was organized without proper management of electricity, and security measures were not in place. After the incident, instead of being taken to the nearby Sohrawardy Hospital located across from the Residential Model College campus, Rahat was deliberately taken to Universal Medical College Hospital in Mohakhali. The authorities did not inform the victim's father, Mujibur. He learned of his son's death through his friends and classmates. Rahat was electrocuted around 3:00 PM. He was admitted to Universal Medical College at 4:15 PM, and at 4:51 PM, the doctor declared him dead.
Bd-pratidin English/ Afia
