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14 years on, Felani Khatun's family still awaits justice

Published : Tuesday, 7 January, 2025 at 12:00 AM  Count : 106
Staff Correspondent
Despite the lapse of more than 14 years since the killing of Felani Khatun, a 15-year-old Bangladeshi girl who was killed by Indian border guards, her family has yet to receive justice.

The 14th anniversary of the gruesome murder is being observed today (Tuesday).

During a visit, our Kurigram correspondent Kirttika Sen Biltu found that Felani's family in Ramkhana Union of the upazila was busy cleaning her grave on the occasion.

Felani's father, Nurul Islam, and mother, Jahanara, said that even after 14 years, they could not forget the painful memories of that day.

"Even today, we are suddenly awakened by her screams in the middle of the night. Tears flow from both eyes. I have approached many people, including human rights organisations, seeking justice for the murder of my daughter, but I have not received the desired justice," Nurul Islam said.

Felani worked as a domestic help in New Delhi. She was returning home with her father through the Anantapur border in Kurigram district on 7 January 2011, when members of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) shot her dead. Her body was handed over to Bangladesh a day later.

A picture of her lifeless body hanging from the barbed-wire fence went viral, triggering a global outcry and prompting BSF to open an investigation into the killing.

BSF pressed charges against constable Amiya Ghosh, but he was acquitted by a special court in 2013. Amid criticisms, BSF later decided to revise the trial, but another judicial court upheld the verdict, acquitting Ghosh for the second time in 20152.

Felani's frustrated father, Nurul Islam, later moved to the Indian Supreme Court with the assistance of the human rights group Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha.

The full bench, headed by the chief justice, accepted the petition in 2015 and show-caused several bodies concerned, including the Indian home ministry. However, the Felani family has not yet received justice as the date of the hearing has been postponed several times2.

"We've gone to many people, including human rights activists, seeking justice for the murder of our daughter. I have not got justice even after 14 years," said Felani's father, Nurul Islam.


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