Ashiyan Group chairman gets bail after surrendering in torture case

Ashiyan Group Chairman Nazrul Islam Bhuiya has secured bail after surrendering in a case filed by model and actress Mosammat Israt Jahan, also known as Snigdha Chowdhury, over allegations of assault, attempted murder and torture.

He surrendered before the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam in Dhaka on Monday (July 27) and sought bail. Advocate Arafat Mostafa moved the bail petition on his behalf. Following the hearing, the court granted him bail until the medical report is received, on a bond of Tk 50,000, said Sub-Inspector (SI) Tarikul Islam of the prosecution.

According to the case statement, on the afternoon of July 24, a man named Imon entered into a contract with Snigdha Chowdhury for Tk 16 lakh to make her a brand ambassador of Ashiyan Group. That night around 8pm, she went with her mother to meet Nazrul Islam Bhuiya at Ashiyan Medical College in the 300 Feet area under Khilkhet Police Station. As there were guests at home, her mother returned home with the car.

According to the case statement, after her mother left, Nazrul Islam Bhuiya claimed he had been looking for her for six months, mistaking her for another woman, and accused her of embezzling Tk 1.5 crore. Snigdha Chowdhury tried to explain the mistake, but her pleas were ignored. Imon, who was with her, allegedly gestured for her to agree with the accused's claims.

The case statement further said that Nazrul Islam Bhuiya then threatened to shoot her with a shotgun, tied her hands and feet, threw her on a sofa, choked her, and beat her 50-60 times with a stick on various parts of her body. He also pulled her hair, threw her to the floor, forced her to drink coffee, and when she refused, threw hot coffee in her face. He later threatened to ruin her face with scissors. After repeated attacks for about two hours, she was forced to consume alcohol mixed with drugs, the complaint alleges.

Snigdha Chowdhury managed to escape around 11:30pm by jumping from the first-floor balcony when the accused left the room. She remained unconscious for a day and received treatment at Kurmitola General Hospital on July 26. She later filed the case at Khilkhet Police Station after consulting with family members.