Former Kurigram DC Sultana Parvin Sent to Jail for Torturing Journalist

Kurigram, September 2, 2025: A Kurigram court has ordered the imprisonment of former Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Kurigram, Sultana Parvin, after rejecting her bail petition in a case involving the torture of a journalist. The ruling was delivered by Kurigram District and Sessions Court Judge Mosammat Esmat Ara Begum on Tuesday afternoon, as confirmed by Public Prosecutor Advocate Md Bazlur Rashid.

Sultana, currently serving as an officer on special duty (OSD), appeared in a crowded courtroom around 11:15 AM, drawing significant public attention. After reviewing arguments and case documents, the judge denied her bail and ordered her immediate transfer to jail. She was subsequently escorted to a prison van by police.

The case stems from an incident on March 13, 2020, when Ariful Islam Rigan, the Kurigram correspondent for Bangla Tribune, was forcibly taken from his home by magistrates and law enforcement officials. According to the case statement, Rigan was blindfolded, threatened with "crossfire" near the Dharla river shoal, and later taken to the DC office, where he was stripped and brutally tortured. A mobile court sentenced him to one year in prison that night, alleging possession of alcohol and marijuana. The incident triggered widespread outrage, leading to Rigan’s release on bail the following day. On March 31, 2020, Rigan filed a case against Sultana Parvin and others, which was recorded by Kurigram Sadar Thana Police following a High Court order. After a five-year investigation, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) submitted a charge sheet implicating Sultana and three former magistrates—Nazim Uddin, Rahatul Islam, and Rintu Bikash Chakma.

Speaking to journalists after the court’s decision, Rigan stated, “I was tortured and jailed solely for my reporting. After five years, this verdict proves no one is above the law. It’s a relief not only for me but for the entire journalist community.”

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