A ‘conscious civil society’ has demanded that the death of child domestic worker Preeti Urang, who ‘fell’ from the house of former Daily Star executive editor Syed Ashfaqul Haque, be treated as a ‘murder’.
In a press conference at the Abdus Salam Auditorium of the National Press Club on Thursday afternoon, the representatives of the ‘Conscious Citizens Society’ sought justice for the incident under the Prevention of Women and Child Abuse Act, highlighting various facts found in their investigation.
Khushi Kabir, coordinator of ‘Nijera Kari’, said, “The tribal girl named Preeti Urang is not in her own area, they were taken by the British to the tea plantation, they have no relation with the people, with us, they are kept in a state of captivity, that kind of A child was brought and killed. I would say murder. Either way, be it by accident or self-initiated, or caused to him in such a way that his life ends. This is not acceptable.
“I think the time has come, all of us through you (journalists) are vocal and we definitely want fair trial, impartial investigation of Preeti Urang. Also, we want to tell the government clearly to ensure everyone’s safety.”
He said, “Every person’s life has a value. A highly educated, responsible person, if this happens in his house, it means that it happens in every house, you know. We will not tolerate it here anymore.”
On February 6, a child domestic worker named Preeti Urang died after falling from the eighth floor of a multi-storey building in Mohammadpur, Dhaka. She was a domestic helper in the house of Syed Ashfaqul Haque.
After her body was found under the building, locals protested in the area alleging ‘Preeti was murdered’. Preeti’s father Lokesh Urang filed a case at Mohammadpur police station the next day. Syed Ashfaqul Haque and his wife Tanya Khandkar were sent to jail in that case.
Syed Ashfaq is still in jail even though Tanya got bail from the High Court on April 22.
Earlier, on August 6, 2023, a 7-year-old domestic worker, Ferdausi, fell from that house. Although he survived, his physical condition is not good.
Even though a case was filed in that incident, Syed Ashfaqul Haque and his wife were freed from the case through a transfer of Tk 2 lakh.
Concerned about the issues, a joint statement of 117 citizens of the country said on April 2, “We consider the death of Preeti Urang to be the equivalent of murder. We will not accept the investigation being diverted under the pressure of any influential quarters.”
On the same day, the Daily Star reported the sacking of its executive editor. However, the Daily Star did not explain the reason.
However, Syed Ashfaq’s mother Anwara Mahbub 117 condemned the statement of Nagrib and accused the media of “unfair speculation, false propaganda, distortion of information and misinterpretation”.
In a written speech at the press conference on Wednesday, Farha Tanjim Titil, a teacher in the Department of Economics of the Islamic University, said, “Despite repeated demands and requests from the civil society to the government for the protection and welfare of domestic workers, we do not see any reflection of this in reality. The recent spate of abuses against domestic workers reminds us again and again of its need.”
He said, “There have been accusations of killing Preeti Urang around her unusual death. We want a fair, independent, neutral, influence-free, impartial and transparent investigation of this incident and strict punishment of the guilty through speedy trial. Some other child domestic workers of that house have been subjected to torture, we are vocal in demanding a fair, impartial and impartial investigation and fair trial of those incidents.”
Referring to last year’s incident, Titil said, “Another 7-year-old maid fell or jumped from Syed Ashfaqul Haque’s Mohammadpur flat in August last year. he is alive Two similar events occurring in succession concern us.
“I was not getting any research about this in the media. As a result we try to know about this on the ground. A few of us have gone to Brahmanbaria, Moulvibazar, Mohammadpur, local police stations and the respective hospitals to get detailed information.”
He said, “The surviving seven-year-old child, the medical report states, had a 3-3-3 cm long-wide-deep wound from the labia minora to the anus. His genitals have been operated. Mr. Adel, Manager of Syed Ashfaqul Haque Building, has signed as guardian in this important operation.
“The operation was done without informing the child’s parents. The Deputy Commissioner of Tejgaon Division of DB Police said in a television interview that it was not possible to check whether the incident of rape had taken place due to hasty removal of the patient. People from Syed Ashfaqul Haque’s office have threatened.”
The written statement said, “The child told our representatives that he was injured between his legs before falling. What is this injury? Because of which he wanted to die? We have many fears. We think this needs further investigation. As you know, after the incident, Syed Ashfaqul Haque settled the matter with the child’s family for Tk 2 lakh. Although we went to the ground and found that the money also went to the middleman.
“It appears to us that a proper investigation will reveal the truth of the allegations. Therefore, I demand that the government give special importance to the matter and conduct an impartial, speedy, fair, impartial, influence-free and transparent investigation of the incident and complete the trial of the real criminals in today’s press conference.”
Titil said, “Repetition of exactly one incident cannot be an accident. We fear that the crime of murder is being covered up or minimized by cases of ‘negligent death’. Our investigation revealed that Preeti was 13 years old at the time of death (considering leaving pre-primary school at the age of 7 in 2018). His school records were lost, the teachers said.
“A doctor who examined Preeti told a TV channel that Preeti has injury marks on her throat. Anus is abnormally large. Durgamani Bauri, another child domestic worker of the house said that Syed Ashfaqul Haque beat her with a belt. Blood pooled in his head. Locals have alleged that Preeti was killed by throwing her from the eighth floor. Preeti’s father complained that Syed Ashfaqul Haque’s family did not allow Preeti to talk to her parents while working in that house. They also received little remuneration.”
A written statement at the press conference said, “The child named Preeti Urang was hanging for 12/13 minutes before falling. He wanted to live. But no one from Ashfaqul Haque’s house helped him. Many people in the area witnessed this incident. The people of the neighborhood wanted to come forward for help, but the security guards of the house did not allow them to enter. We have good reason to believe that the statement stating Preeti’s age as 15 years instead of 13 years is intentional. We will not accept the investigation being diverted under the pressure of any influential quarters.”
When asked how this information came to know that Preeti Urang was hanging before falling, Khushi Kabir said in the press conference, “Please go to Mohammadpur a bit. Those who are here with us, we are gone. Go and see if the people were standing there, if they shouted. We live in Dhaka, we know many of their neighbors, they told us what happened.”
‘Conscious Citizen Society’ raised various demands to the government from the press conference.
1. A fair independent impartial, impartial, influence-free and transparent investigation into the unnatural death or killing of Preeti Urang should be carried out and the guilty should be brought under the law and strict punishment should be ensured.
2. If Preeti Urang’s death is considered a negligent homicide, it will be deliberately lightened. This case should be brought under the Prevention of Women and Child Abuse Act and tried in the Women and Child Abuse Tribunal. For this, we demand that proper authorities or higher judicial orders be given if necessary.
3. Adequate financial compensation should be provided to Preeti’s family. Also, all measures should be taken to ensure the safety of his family.
4. Any other surviving child abused in Ashfaqul Haque’s home should be given adequate compensation including ensuring proper medical and educational facilities.
5. The actual incident should be investigated by examining the particular wound on the child’s body. If necessary, the culprits should be identified and punished appropriately in legal process.
6. Syed Ashfaqul Haque had three child domestic helpers. They join work at the age of 7, 8 and 11 years. A child is a person who has not completed 14 years of age as per labor law of Bangladesh. According to Section 34 of the Labor Act, no child shall be employed as a laborer in any occupation or establishment. We demand an objective investigation into any instance of child abuse against Syed Ashfaqul Haque or any other member of his family. Also, I am demanding his trial and punishment in the legal process.
7. The janitors who did not allow Preeti to be rescued from the hanging position on the instructions of the owner of the house, should also be brought under impartial justice and punished. At the same time, I demand that Daily Star’s Moulvibazar correspondent Mintu Deshwara and Preeti’s uncle Phulsai Orang be brought under investigation.
8. We demand a separate investigation into whether any gang was involved in trafficking and sexual slavery of children brought from tea plantations.
9. We strongly demand that the policy on child labor be turned into law. I demand from the government to make the age of children 16 years instead of 14 years in employment. Along with this, I am demanding from the government to make the age of children 16 years instead of 14 years in the case of employment at home in the protection and welfare policy of domestic workers.
10. In 2017, according to the instructions of the court, I demand the immediate implementation of the instructions given by the Ministry of Labor, District Commissioner and Upazila Nirbahi Officer to form a monitoring cell across the country to protect the rights of domestic workers. At the same time to ensure the protection of the rights of domestic workers, every house must be inspected.
Among others, writer Priscilla Raj, Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Unity Council leader Rana Dasgupta, Tabarak Hossain, writer Rehnuma Ahmed, Dhaka University Professor Geeti Ara Nasreen, Professor Zobaida Nasreen, ALRD Executive Director Shamsul Huda, vocalist Farzana Wahid Shayan were present at the press conference. .
