Jamalpur Child Mariam Murder: No Charge Sheet After 40 Days as Family Waits for DNA Report
Forty days have passed since the child Mariam Bushra was raped and murdered in Madarganj, Jamalpur, yet police have still not submitted a charge sheet to the court. As a result, the murdered child's family is spending its days simply waiting for the trial to begin.
The two accused in the case, Jaminur and his wife Sabuja Begum, are in jail. They have given confessional statements in court under Section 164. Even so, the charge sheet is held up — police say it is being delayed because the DNA test report has not arrived.
Police say that on the morning of 10 September, Mariam left home to go to school. On the way she went to a friend's house, did not find her there, and met Jaminur, who was at that house.
Police investigations found that at one stage Jaminur took the child into a room, raped her and strangled her to death. Afterwards, to hide the body, he dug a hole in the floor of the room and buried it, according to the investigation.
When Mariam did not return home, family members began searching for her. They later filed a general diary (GD) at the police station. News of a child going missing spread anxiety across the area as well.
On 12 September, police received information through an informant that the body was at Jaminur's house. Jaminur was detained and questioned. It was on the basis of information he gave that police recovered Mariam's body.
Jaminur's wife Sabuja Begum was also arrested in the incident. When the two were later produced in court, they gave confessional statements. After those statements, the family had hoped the trial process would move quickly.
But that hope has now turned into waiting. Mariam's mother Babita Begum says one month and ten days have passed since the incident, and the trial has still not begun. They have contacted the police again and again.
In Babita Begum's words, police say they cannot submit the investigation report because they have not received the DNA test report. They are not clearly saying when the report will be submitted either. Why there is a delay even after the accused confessed to the killing — that question is haunting the family.
Mariam's father Bahadur said, 'I want the highest punishment for my daughter's murder. If Jaminur and Sabuja are hanged, I will find some consolation. The trial has still not begun. I cannot even find out when it will begin.'
Dr Harunur Rashid, head of the forensic department at Jamalpur Medical College Hospital, said Mariam's post-mortem report has been sent to the police station. As police arranged the DNA test directly in Dhaka, only the police can give details on that matter.
Jamalpur Assistant Superintendent of Police (Madarganj Circle) Mostafizur Rahman Bhuiyan said the investigation of the case is complete. They are now only waiting for the DNA test report. As soon as the report arrives, the charge sheet will be submitted to the court.
He also said contact is being maintained with the relevant parties to obtain the report quickly. He confirmed that both accused in the case are in jail and that they have given confessional statements in court.
Despite all other preparations being complete, the entire process is stalled over a single report. Police say the charge sheet will be filed as soon as the DNA report is in hand — and Mariam's family is now looking towards the day when that happens.
