Sunday, 5th April 2026
Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 9th February 2026, 12:18 AM
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the national aviation sector and the wider community, the former Managing Director and CEO of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Safiqur Rahman, is facing a critical legal hearing. A Dhaka court has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday to decide on a seven-day police remand request for Rahman, his wife Beethi, and two other domestic staff members. The group stands accused of the horrific physical and psychological abuse of an 11-year-old girl employed as a domestic worker in their residence.
The case came to light after the victim’s father, a hotel employee, filed a formal complaint with the Uttara West Police Station. According to the investigation officer, Sub-Inspector Robel Mia, the 11-year-old victim provided a harrowing deposition in court on Sunday, detailing months of systematic torture.
The prosecution alleges that the child was subjected to “barbaric” treatment, including being burned with heated kitchen spatulas. Medical examinations of the child’s injuries suggest even deeper levels of abuse. Police have stated that the suspects purportedly acted in collusion to hide the implements used in the torture and to prevent the child’s father from seeing her for several months.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 2024 | The 11-year-old victim is employed at Safiqur Rahman’s residence. |
| 2 Nov 2024 | The father last sees his daughter in good health before being denied access. |
| 31 Jan 2025 | The victim’s family is called to collect the “sick” child; severe injuries are discovered. |
| 1 Feb 2025 | A formal case is registered under the Child Repression Act. |
| 2 Feb 2025 | Safiqur Rahman, his wife, and two domestic aides are arrested at 3:30 am. |
| 10 Feb 2026 | Remand hearing scheduled before Metropolitan Magistrate Ishrat Jahan. |
Following the initial arrests and the gravity of the charges, the government took immediate action by removing Safiqur Rahman from his executive position at Biman Bangladesh Airlines. The suspects currently in custody include:
Safiqur Rahman (Ex-CEO, Biman)
Beethi (Rahman’s wife)
Rupali Khatun (Domestic aide)
Mst. Sufia Begum (Domestic aide)
The victim’s father alleged that he was enticed into the employment by a security guard who promised that the Rahman family would take responsibility for the girl’s future and marriage expenses. Instead, the girl was allegedly kept in isolation and assaulted “without provocation.”
The police are seeking the seven-day remand to recover the specific tools used in the assaults and to identify if any other individuals were involved in the cover-up. As the “house of cards” falls for the former aviation chief, human rights activists are calling for the strictest possible punishment to serve as a deterrent against the pervasive issue of domestic worker abuse in affluent households.
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