‘Aiding, abetting rape’: Ideal School and College principal granted anticipatory bail

The High Court (HC) on Monday granted anticipatory bail to Fawzia Rashedi, principal of Ideal School and College in Motijheel, in a case filed for aiding and abetting rape.

The HC bench of Justice Sheikh Md Zakir Hossain and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq passed the order after Fawzia appeared in person on Monday and applied for bail. Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan, who appeared for the accused, confirmed the matter.

On 1 August, the father of a female student of the college section of the institution filed the case with the court of Judge Begum Mafroza Parvin of Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-8.

Khandaker Mushtaq Ahmed, a donor member of the governing body of Ideal School and College at Motijheel, has been made the main accused in the case.

On 10 August, the plaintiff's lawyer Omar Faruk Faruqui said the court took the statement of the plaintiff and ordered the officer-in-charge of Gulshan Police Station to take the complaint as an FIR and take it as a regular case.

According to the case details, the plaintiff mentioned that his daughter (victim) is a student of Class-11 of Motijheel Ideal. The accused Mushtaq used to come to the college on various pretexts and called the victim from the class to the principal's room.

"In the name of inquiring, the accused made inappropriate advances on the victim. When she did not agree, Mushtaq threatened to pick her up and forcibly marry her, and also threatened her family.

"Later, the victim requested the college principal to take action on such behaviour. The principal, instead of taking action, brought Mushtaq to her room and called the victim from her class and closed the door of the room and asked the victim to give time and company to the accused," reads the statement.

Although the plaintiff went to seek remedy in this regard, the principal did not cooperate, instead she allegedly continued to give 'unethical' help to the accused Mushtaq, according to the case statement.

After finding no other way, the plaintiff took his daughter to his Thakurgaon house on 12 June. Later accused Mushtaq abducted the victim with his men.

The plaintiff then came to know that the accused had forced the victim into immoral activities and sexually assaulted her by keeping her in different places.