Felani\\\'s father files appeal with Indian SC

Father of slain Bangladeshi girl Felani has filed an appeal with the Indian Supreme Court (SC) seeking review of the murder case verdict delivered by a court of Border Security Force (BSF). In July, a special court of the BSF in India's West Bengal province upheld its previous verdict that acquitted one the BSF troopers accused killing of Felani Khatun, 15, of Bangladesh northern Kurigram district. The BSF General Security Forces court again acquitted Amiyo Ghosh, the soldier accused of killing Felani four years ago, on July 2, 2015, after the hearing of the revision trial. “The court had reached the same conclusion as it did in the previous time and acquitted Amiyo Ghosh on the same grounds,” India’s media reports said quoting sources inside the BSF after deliverance of the verdict following retrial. However, the court’s decision July 2 is subject to revision and approval by an Additional Director General rank officer, also the competent authority, of the BSF based in India’s eastern sector. In an instant reaction to the special court’s decision, Felani’s father Nurul Islam told reporters that day that he would not accept the verdict and demanded international trial over the killing of his daughter. “We have heard of the verdict. We don’t accept it. We don’t want trial in BSF court, we want trial in international court,” a sobbing Nurul Islam said. Felani Khatun was shot dead by a BSF troop while she, along with her father, was returning home from India through Anantapur border along Phulbari upazila of Kurigram district on January 7, 2011. Her dead body was hung from barbwires along the border for hours. The incident sparked uproar throughout Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), a Bangladesh-based rights group, said that the family of Felani has given authority to ASK, to move the murder case before the Indian higher court. “After being deprived of justice twice in BSF court, I have given the written approval to the Ain O Salish Kendra so that it can take this case to a higher court for a fair trial,” Nurul Islam, was quoted by Bangladesh’s media on July 7 over the judgment by the BSF court. “We will put forward an application to the Indian High Commission soon, seeking their full cooperation to start the case proceedings in the Indian higher court,” Tipu Sultan, senior deputy director of the Ain O Salish Kendra, was quoted by local media following comments made by Felani’s father over the judgment, according to a news agency.
- mbz