Feni madrasa girl Rafi loses battle for life

After fighting for her life for five days, madrasa girl Nusrat Jahan Rafi who was set afire in Songazi upazila of Feni succumbed to her injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Wednesday night.

She died at the DMCH Burn and Plastic Surgery unit around 9:30pm, said its chief Prof Rayhana Awwal Sumi.

The body was kept at the hospital mortuary and it will be handed over to the family following autopsy on Thursday morning, she said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock at the death of the madrasa girl.

In a condolence message, she prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed her sympathy to the bereaved family members.

On April 6, Rafi was set afire an examination centre of Alim examination allegedly by students loyal to Principal Sirajuddoula of Sonagazi Senior Fazil Madrasa after he was arrested and subsequently suspended as Rafi had accused him of sexually harassing her.

She was immediately taken to the DMCH for better treatment where she underwent a surgery under life support on Tuesday.

The operation conducted after discussion with the physicians from Singapore General Hospital as she was not fit enough to be flown to Singapore.

On Monday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina directed for sending Rafi to Singapore for better treatment.

Ten people, including the madrasa principal, have so far been arrested in connection with the arson attack.

On Tuesday, Feni police arrested a student of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa, Shampa, over setting fire on Rafi.

Police said the Alim student was arrested as the victim told her doctors that during the arson attack, she heard that someone was saying, “Shampa let’s go”.

On Monday, in a declaration, Rafi told her doctors that four students wearing burqas and hand socks set her on fire. She identified one of them as Shampa.

Meanwhile, a Feni court on Wednesday placed the principal on a seven-day remand and two other people on a five-day one over the incident. The two others are Abser Uddin, lecturer of English Department of the madrasa, and student Arif.

On Tuesday, a court in Feni granted a five-day remand for four people -- Nur Hossain, Kefayet Ullah, Md Alauddin and Shahidul Islam -– who were arrested in case filed over the incident.
Besides, Moazzem Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sonagazi Model Police Station, was withdrawn over the incident.

The case was filed accusing eight identified people, including madrasa principal Sirajuddoula, lecturer of English Absar Uddin, Feni municipality councillor Maksudul Alam Maksud, and four unidentified ones.

On Wednesday, the case was transferred to the Police Bureau of Investigation.