Quarterly Progress Report: January-March--2008 - Police Reform ...

Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOWThursday, February 7, 2008 12:17 PM GMT+06:00Infant lands in Ctg jail with disabled motherAbdullah Al Mahmud, CtgClick here for Printer Friendly VersionFront PageA three-and-a-half-month old infant has been confined at Chittagong Jail along with herself-claimed and mentally disabled 'mother', who police suspect a baby thief.They are behind bars since January 14 as the relationship between them could not beconfirmed.Residents of Madhyam Rampura in Halishahar stopped Mubaraka Khanam, 30, wife ofKaisul Islam of Chakaria in Cox's Bazar, when she was wandering aimlessly with thebaby on January 13. The locals turned them in to police finding inconsistency in herstatement and filed a GD with Halishahar Police Station accusing her of stealing thebaby.A metropolitan magistrate's court sent the two to jail the next day. The court on January28 ordered jail authorities to send the baby to a baby care home -- Chhotomani Nibashin Roufabad. But the infant is still in the prison.Jailer Iqbal Hossain said they have yet to get the court order. They kept the baby in thecustody of two woman inmates, he added. "We're giving the baby powdered milk and thefemale inmates are also breastfeeding her."Mubaraka was allowed to talk to two journalists at the jail yesterday afternoon. She gavesatisfactory information regarding the baby's probable date of birth and age. She washowever inconsistent in saying the birthplace.Advocate Rehana Begum Ranu, president of Fight for Women's Rights, said safety of thebaby has to be ensured first. Then a team might be sent to the woman's address toconfirm her identity, she added.This three and a half month old baby hasbeen languishing in a prison as herrelationship with the woman claiming tobe her mother could not be established.Photo: STAR"If she's the real mother, then an innocent woman is suffering in jail with her child.”