Dhaka, Jan 10 – The High Court on Thursday directed authorities concerned of Etihad Airways to handover video footage containing the alleged incident of harassing and torturing two Bangladesh born women at Abu Dhabi International Airport in 2011. The HC bench also asked Etihad Airways authority to handover the video footage within next 15 days to the probe committee, which was formed by Bangladesh foreign ministry earlier to investigate over the matter.
The HC bench also asked the inquiry committee to submit the probe report before it in one month after getting the video footage from Etihad Airways.
In response to a writ petition, the HC bench comprising Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil yesterday passed the order and fixed March 6 for passing further order over the matter.
On June 28, 2011, the two women, who were on route to Canada by an Etihad Airways flight were allegedly harassed by the airline staff at Abu Dhabi International Airport, and were forced back to Dhaka at their own cost over a brawl that sparked due to a fault of a staff.
Following the incident, Tanzeen Bristy, one of the victims, filed a writ petition with the HC in 2011 seeking its order for compensation for them and legal action against Etihad Airways for their harassment.
In response to the writ petition, the HC had on July 14 in 2011 issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of Etihad Airways to explain why they should not be directed to pay compensation to the victims and why appropriate action should not be taken against them.
After the HC order, Advocate Manzill Murshid, counsel for the petitioner, told reporters yesterday that the HC passed the order as Etihad Airways recently submitted a report before the bench through a
lawyer claiming that they (Etihad Airways) had no fault with the incident of harassment; rather the passengers including the writ petitioner were unruly during the incident on June 28, 2011.
Deputy Attorney General Mokhlesur Rahman said that the inquiry committee formed by the foreign ministry is conducting the investigation. After getting the video footage from the authorities
concerned the probe committee would scrutinize the matter, which may take time to complete the inquiry, he added. – Staff Reporter
