Dhaka Court Sends Este Medical Managing Director to Prison in Sexual Assault Case
A Dhaka court sent Mohammad Faisal, managing director of the healthcare provider Este Medical Bangladesh, to jail on Tuesday after he surrendered to face charges of sexually assaulting a teenage relative. Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sefatullah rejected Faisal’s bail plea, according to Sub-Inspector Tahmina Akter of the prosecution division.
Faisal appeared in court through his legal counsel, who argued that the allegations were fabricated and stemmed from a long-standing family dispute over property. The defense team, led by Dhaka Bar Association President Anwar Zahid Bhuiyan, further contended that the delay of nearly one month in filing the complaint cast doubt on the legitimacy of the charges.
Lawyers representing the victim, including former Dhaka Bar Association President Khorshed Mia Alam, vehemently opposed the bail request. Following the arguments from both sides, the court ordered that Faisal be remanded into custody.
The case originated from a complaint filed by the victim's father at Gulshan Police Station on April 23. According to the case documents, the alleged incident took place in June of last year, when Faisal—a relative of the victim—reportedly invited the teenager to his office at the Concord Silvy Heights in Gulshan for lunch. The complaint alleges that on the night of June 24, while driving the victim home, Faisal coerced her into the front seat under the guise of teaching her to drive and subsequently sexually assaulted her.
The victim reportedly fled the scene and initially remained silent due to the potential for social repercussions and family tension. The incident came to light this year on April 17, when the teenager reacted visibly upon encountering Faisal at her sister’s wedding, prompting a disclosure to her family members.
