The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has formed a three-member panel to probe the murder of a two-month-old child in the state-run orphanage, ‘Chotomoni Nibas’, in Sylhet.
Headed by the director of the Commission, district and sessions judge Mohammad Ashraful Alam, the other members of the committee are the commission’s deputy director Mohammad Gazi Salah Uddin and executive magistrate at Sylhet deputy commissioner’s office, Rehena Akter.
Post-questioning of some people in connection with the case, judge Ashraful said on Tuesday night: “Already police have filed a case in this connection and a staffer of the orphanage also gave a confessional statement in the court.”
“We are here to check any kind of negligence on the part of the authorities concerned and investigate the crime. We will submit our report soon,” he added.
Sultana Ferdousi Siddiqa, employed by the department of social services as a nanny, gave her statement after police produced her before Sylhet Metropolitan Court’s magistrate Saifur Rahman on August 14.
Sultana was arrested in connection with the case filed at Kotwali police station on a complaint from sub-inspector Mahbubul Alam Mandal on August 14.
Chotomoni Nibas is a state-run orphanage located in the Bagbari area of Sylhet city and run by the department of social services.
According to police sources, closed-circuit camera footage of July 22 captured the disturbing footage of Sultana throwing the crying infant, Nabil Ahmed, out of his bed before shockingly suffocating him to death with a pillow.
Later, she tried to destroy the evidence of the murder with the help of other staffers and officials of the orphanage, said police.
On July 24, a case of unnatural death was filed at the Kotwali police station to cover up the crime. The murder of Nabil was buried with his body after a post-mortem.
On August 12, the case caught the attention of the deputy commissioner of SMP, Azbahar Ali Sheikh, and he immediately rushed to the orphanage with OC Abu Farhad and investigating officer Mahbub.
As the murder became evident from the CCTV footage, the deputy commissioner had immediately ordered the arrest of the nanny.
Police said legal action will be taken against the authorities of the orphanage upon investigation as they were also involved in covering up the murder.
Identity of orphan Nabil
OC Abu said on June 12 Gowainghat police handed over the then one month-old orphan to Chotomoni Nibas, after he was born to a mentally ill homeless woman.
At the orphanage, he was named Nabil Ahmed and nanny Sultana Ferdousi Siddiqa was given the responsibility of taking care of him.
On the morning of July 23, Nabil was found dead in his bed.
