Kaladan News

Dated: Thursday, March 17, 2005

A Teenaged Girl Sentenced to a 2-Year Imprisonment

Maungdaw, March 17: A Court of Maungdaw Town in Arakan State of western Burma on12^th February, 2005, sentenced one Rohingya teenaged girl to a 2-year imprisonment by alleging border cross, according to a member of her relative.

Number two Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court of Maungdaw Town gave the verdict without proper inquiry of the case, he further added.

The convict is identified as Feroza Begum, 18, daughter of Mohammed Shobbir hailed from Kanpu (Kawrzarbil) village of Maungdaw south in Arakan state. She was arrested by the commander of Nakapa (Border Security Force) camp No. 7 and concerned immigration on 10^th February 2005 and was kept in the Nakapa camp, said another relative preferring not to mention his name.

In the last July of 2003, Miss Feroza Begum and one Fayaz Ahammad, 25, from the same village were engaged, according to their parents’ arrangement. Afterwards, they tried to get permission from the concerned SPDC authorities, but in vain. Therefore, on 2^nd January 2004, the said Miss Feroza Begum and Fayaz Ahammad secretly fled to Bangladesh and got married after one week in Bangladesh, the relative further added.

After that they were living happily in Shaphurir Dip of Bangladesh. On the middle of December 2004, suddenly, Feroza’s husband, Fayaz Ahammad ran away leaving his wife in a rented house. Consequently, she has no money and food to survive and became helpless. As a result, on 10^th January 2005, she re-entered Burma with the help of her parents and lived with them, said a villager of the victim.

However, this incident was informed to the concerned Nakapa camp by Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) Chairman. For that reason, on 10^th February 2005, the Commander of the Nakapa camp No (7) and immigration went to the Feroza’s house and arrested her for illegal border cross. Then she was carried to the said Nakapa camp, he more added.

On 11^th February 2005, she was again sent to the police station of Maungdaw town.

On 12^th February, she was produced at the Maungdaw Court, in which she was accused border cross Act, and then was sentenced to a 2-year imprisonment.

After the verdict, the arrestee was sent to jail. Victim’s parents were present in the court and they broke down in tears on hearing the verdict, according to Abu Sayed who recently came to Bangladesh. ##

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