Social Media Sparks Outrage
Joint Secretary Withdrawn: What About BUET Teacher?
Nurjahan Begum’s body (left), BUET teacher Ashikur Rahman (right).
The government has withdrawn Joint Secretary AKM Anisur Rahman, the elder son of 75-year-old Nurjahan Begum, from his post following the recovery of her decomposed body from a flat in Pallabi, Mirpur in Dhaka. The incident has sparked widespread public discussion after allegations of neglect by her children surfaced in the media.
Following the controversy, the government withdrew him from Mongla Port Authority and attached him to the Ministry of Public Administration on Wednesday.
While many have welcomed action against one son, questions have been raised over whether similar measures will be taken against her other son, BUET teacher Ashikur Rahman.
The issue has also triggered public debate on social media, where users have expressed anger over the matter. Netizen Mufti Saiful Islam wrote that while the Joint Secretary has been punished for neglecting his mother, questions remain over why the BUET teacher has not faced action, suggesting whether BUET’s autonomous status is a factor.
Another user, Monir Hossain, also expressed anger, writing in a Facebook post that action against only one son is not sufficient and all of the deceased woman’s children should be removed from their positions, arguing that it would serve as a lesson for society.
Meanwhile, a writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the recovery of Nurjahan Begum’s body. The petition has also sought directives to investigate whether any human rights violations occurred in connection with the incident. Supreme Court lawyer Sharif Sarkar filed the petition in the public interest on Wednesday. The hearing is scheduled for June 7.
Earlier, police recovered the body of Nurjahan Begum on June 1 after receiving a call to the national emergency service 999. The body was found in a fourth-floor flat of a multi-storey building on Road 8 in Section 6 of Pallabi.
Police said she had been living in her daughter’s flat. Her husband, a Dhaka University teacher, died about five years ago. Her two sons are employed as senior government officials and university teachers, and both live separately with their families.
Following media reports on the incident, widespread criticism erupted on social media, with many questioning how the elderly woman had reportedly lived alone in neglect for a prolonged period before her death.
