A senior Bangladesh police officer has been arrested for failing to properly investigate the shocking murder of a teenaged girl who was ordered burned to death by a teacher she accused of sexual assault, officials said.

The killing of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-girl-burned-to-death-on-teachers-order-police-211787">Nusrat Jahan Rafi</a> in April sparked protests across the South Asian nation, with the prime minister promising to prosecute all those involved.

At least 16 people,&nbsp;including the teacher, have been charged in connection with the killing and could face the death penalty if convicted.

Rafi was lured to the rooftop of an Islamic seminary she attended where her attackers asked her to withdraw a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bangladeshis-protest-after-sexually-assaulted-girl-burned-to-death-212060">sexual harassment</a> complaint filed with police against the head teacher.

When she refused, she was doused in kerosene and set on fire. She died five days later, her death highlighted an alarming rise in sexual harassment cases in Bangladesh.

An investigation by authorities later found Moazzem Hossain, the police chief of the town where Rafi was killed, had not properly dealt with the complaint the teenager made.

Bangladesh police spokesman Sohel Rana confirmed in a text message to AFP that Hossain had been arrested.

He and two other inspectors have been suspended by the police department.

Rafi went to the police in late March to make allegations of sexual harassment against the head teacher. A leaked video showed Hossain registering her complaint, but dismissing it as "not a big deal".

Hossain was accused of illegally filming the video, which was later circulated on social media platforms. He went into hiding after a court issued a warrant for his arrest.

At least five people,&nbsp;including three of Rafi's classmates,tied her up with a scarf before setting her on fire. The plan was to pass the incident off as a case of suicide.

Rafi suffered burns to 80 per cent of her body and died in hospital on April 10.

She recorded a video before her death, repeating her allegations against the teacher.

A senior Bangladesh police officer has been arrested for failing to properly investigate the shocking murder of a teenaged girl who was ordered burned to death by a teacher she accused of sexual assault, officials said.

A senior Bangladesh police officer has been arrested for failing to properly investigate the shocking murder of a teenaged girl who was ordered burned to death by a teacher she accused of sexual assault, officials said. The killing of Nusrat Jahan Rafi in April sparked protests across the South Asian nation, with the prime minister promising to prosecute all those involved. At least 16 people, including the teacher, have been charged in connection with the killing and could face the death penalty if convicted. Rafi was lured to the rooftop of an Islamic seminary she attended where her attackers asked her to withdraw a sexual harassment complaint filed with police against the head teacher. When she refused, she was doused in kerosene and set on fire. She died five days later, her death highlighted an alarming rise in sexual harassment cases in Bangladesh. An investigation by authorities later found Moazzem Hossain, the police chief of the town where Rafi was killed, had not properly dealt with the complaint the teenager made. Bangladesh police spokesman Sohel Rana confirmed in a text message to AFP that Hossain had been arrested. He and two other inspectors have been suspended by the police department. Rafi went to the police in late March to make allegations of sexual harassment against the head teacher. A leaked video showed Hossain registering her complaint, but dismissing it as "not a big deal". Hossain was accused of illegally filming the video, which was later circulated on social media platforms. He went into hiding after a court issued a warrant for his arrest. At least five people, including three of Rafi's classmates,tied her up with a scarf before setting her on fire. The plan was to pass the incident off as a case of suicide. Rafi suffered burns to 80 per cent of her body and died in hospital on April 10. She recorded a video before her death, repeating her allegations against the teacher.

Bangladesh officer held for failing to probe teenager's grisly murder

Saudi Arabia's Aramco has agreed in principle to invest in a new oil refinery in Pakistan's Chinese-funded, deepwater port of Gwadar, the Pakistani petroleum minister said on Thursday.

But a Saudi delegation visit ended with no economic lifeline for the South Asian nation's looming foreign currency crisis.

Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said talks had not sought deferred oil payments, contradicting an earlier statement by the finance minister.

Pakistan may need to approach the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for its second bailout in five years, though the government of new Prime Minister Imran Khan is seeking alternatives.

In the Gwadar refinery agreement, state-owned Pakistan State Oil will partner with Aramco, the Saudi state oil giant, Petroleum Minister Khan said.

Details of the refinery's costs and capacity are to be finalised after a Memorandum of Understanding approved by Pakistan's cabinet on Thursday is finalised, he added.

Gwadar, in the southwestern province of Baluchistan, is the crown jewel of China's $60 billion investment in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects in Pakistan.

Last month, Pakistan invited Saudi Arabia to invest in projects related to BRI's China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The visiting Saudi delegation, led by energy adviser Ahmad Hamed Al-Ghamdi, visited Gwadar on Tuesday. "They showed an interest to immediately invest in the refinery," said Khan, the petroleum minister.

"We sat down and held initial discussions with them and it was principally decided by both sides that it will be a government-to-government agreement."

Any refinery deal needs support from the Baluchistan provincial government, and there has been concern that neighbouring Iran might object to a project involving arch-rival Saudi Arabia on its doorstep.

However, on Thursday, Iranian Ambassador Mehdi Honer Doost raised no objections. "Iran will welcome Saudi and other Muslim countries investment in Baluchistan," Doost told reporters.

Pakistan wants a new refinery to reduce its $16 billion bill for foreign petroleum by importing more cheaper crude oil to refine itself.

Rising oil prices have sent Pakistan's current account deficit soaring. Foreign reserves have dropped to $9 billion, barely enough to cover external debt payments through the end of the year.

Still, the petroleum minister on Thursday denied Pakistan had sought any emergency aid from oil-rich Saudi Arabia. "There was an impression (that) we went there to ask for aid or seek alms but we only talked about investments," Khan told reporters.

He spoke two days after Finance Minister Asad Umar told local Samaa TV that deferred oil payments had been discussed with the Saudi delegation but no decision had been made.

Saudi Arabia's Aramco has agreed in principle to invest in a new oil refinery in Pakistan's Chinese-funded, deepwater port of Gwadar, the Pakistani petroleum minister said on Thursday.

Saudi Arabia's Aramco has agreed in principle to invest in a new oil refinery in Pakistan's Chinese-funded, deepwater port of Gwadar, the Pakistani petroleum minister said on Thursday. But a Saudi delegation visit ended with no economic lifeline for the South Asian nation's looming foreign currency crisis. Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said talks had not sought deferred oil payments, contradicting an earlier statement by the finance minister. Pakistan may need to approach the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for its second bailout in five years, though the government of new Prime Minister Imran Khan is seeking alternatives. In the Gwadar refinery agreement, state-owned Pakistan State Oil will partner with Aramco, the Saudi state oil giant, Petroleum Minister Khan said. Details of the refinery's costs and capacity are to be finalised after a Memorandum of Understanding approved by Pakistan's cabinet on Thursday is finalised, he added. Gwadar, in the southwestern province of Baluchistan, is the crown jewel of China's $60 billion investment in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects in Pakistan. Last month, Pakistan invited Saudi Arabia to invest in projects related to BRI's China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The visiting Saudi delegation, led by energy adviser Ahmad Hamed Al-Ghamdi, visited Gwadar on Tuesday. "They showed an interest to immediately invest in the refinery," said Khan, the petroleum minister. "We sat down and held initial discussions with them and it was principally decided by both sides that it will be a government-to-government agreement." Any refinery deal needs support from the Baluchistan provincial government, and there has been concern that neighbouring Iran might object to a project involving arch-rival Saudi Arabia on its doorstep. However, on Thursday, Iranian Ambassador Mehdi Honer Doost raised no objections. "Iran will welcome Saudi and other Muslim countries investment in Baluchistan," Doost told reporters. Pakistan wants a new refinery to reduce its $16 billion bill for foreign petroleum by importing more cheaper crude oil to refine itself. Rising oil prices have sent Pakistan's current account deficit soaring. Foreign reserves have dropped to $9 billion, barely enough to cover external debt payments through the end of the year. Still, the petroleum minister on Thursday denied Pakistan had sought any emergency aid from oil-rich Saudi Arabia. "There was an impression (that) we went there to ask for aid or seek alms but we only talked about investments," Khan told reporters. He spoke two days after Finance Minister Asad Umar told local Samaa TV that deferred oil payments had been discussed with the Saudi delegation but no decision had been made.

Saudi Arabia agrees to invest in new oil refinery in Pakistan's Gwadar

More than 1,800 Pakistani Muslim clerics have issued an Islamic directive, or fatwa, forbidding suicide bombings, in a book unveiled by the government on Tuesday.

For years, the South Asian nation has been plagued by violence by Islamist militants, who often use suicide bombers and preach that their struggle is a holy war to impose Islamic rule.

Suicide attacks are frequently condemned as fanatical and immoral, especially when civilians are killed, but insurgents view the tactic as their most effective weapon.

Seeking to curb &quot;terrorism&quot; that has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties since the early 2000s, the clerics declared suicide bombings to be forbidden, or &quot;haraam&quot;.

&quot;This fatwa provides a strong base for the stability of a moderate Islamic society,&quot; Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain wrote in the book, prepared by the state-run International Islamic University and released at an official ceremony.

&quot;We can seek guidance from this fatwa for building a national narrative in order to curb extremism, in keeping with the golden principles of Islam.&quot;

Foreign and domestic critics of Pakistan&#39;s government and military accuse them of cozying up to radical groups for political and military purposes and say the state has turned a blind eye to hate preachers in mosques for too long.

The fatwa was ratified by a number of prominent clerics who are outspoken critics of liberalism and the West, and are seen as controversial for preaching sectarianism or supporting the Afghan Taliban.

One of the clerics who signed, Muhammad Ahmed Ludhianvi, is the face of a banned sectarian organisation, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamat (ASWJ), and has been placed on a Pakistani legislative list of individuals with suspected links to &quot;terrorism&quot;.

The ASWJ figurehead, Aurangzeb Farooqi, attended the signing ceremony.

Another signatory, Hamid-ul-Haq, is the son of a cleric widely regarded as the &quot;Father of the Afghan Taliban&quot; after many prominent militants, including Taliban founder Mullah Mohammed Omar, were found to have graduated from his seminary in the northwestern city of Peshawar.

Pakistani officials deny frequent U.S. allegations about collaborating with militant Islamist proxies in Afghanistan and India, and say vast gains have been made over the past decade against militant outfits such as the Pakistani Taliban.

But privately they also warn any moves against some popular hardline groups based in Pakistan would take a long time and need to be undertaken carefully.

Similar anti-suicide bombing fatwas appear to have yielded scant results in the Middle East, where the practice is used by Islamic State and other militant groups.

The Pakistani scholars, who declared that &quot;no individual or group has the authority to declare and wage jihad (holy war)&quot;, said suicide bombings violate key Islamic teachings and, as such, were forbidden.

&nbsp;

For years, the South Asian nation has been plagued by violence by Islamist militants

More than 1,800 Pakistani Muslim clerics have issued an Islamic directive, or fatwa, forbidding suicide bombings, in a book unveiled by the government on Tuesday. For years, the South Asian nation has been plagued by violence by Islamist militants, who often use suicide bombers and preach that their struggle is a holy war to impose Islamic rule. Suicide attacks are frequently condemned as fanatical and immoral, especially when civilians are killed, but insurgents view the tactic as their most effective weapon. Seeking to curb "terrorism" that has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties since the early 2000s, the clerics declared suicide bombings to be forbidden, or "haraam". "This fatwa provides a strong base for the stability of a moderate Islamic society," Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain wrote in the book, prepared by the state-run International Islamic University and released at an official ceremony. "We can seek guidance from this fatwa for building a national narrative in order to curb extremism, in keeping with the golden principles of Islam." Foreign and domestic critics of Pakistan's government and military accuse them of cozying up to radical groups for political and military purposes and say the state has turned a blind eye to hate preachers in mosques for too long. The fatwa was ratified by a number of prominent clerics who are outspoken critics of liberalism and the West, and are seen as controversial for preaching sectarianism or supporting the Afghan Taliban. One of the clerics who signed, Muhammad Ahmed Ludhianvi, is the face of a banned sectarian organisation, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamat (ASWJ), and has been placed on a Pakistani legislative list of individuals with suspected links to "terrorism". The ASWJ figurehead, Aurangzeb Farooqi, attended the signing ceremony. Another signatory, Hamid-ul-Haq, is the son of a cleric widely regarded as the "Father of the Afghan Taliban" after many prominent militants, including Taliban founder Mullah Mohammed Omar, were found to have graduated from his seminary in the northwestern city of Peshawar. Pakistani officials deny frequent U.S. allegations about collaborating with militant Islamist proxies in Afghanistan and India, and say vast gains have been made over the past decade against militant outfits such as the Pakistani Taliban. But privately they also warn any moves against some popular hardline groups based in Pakistan would take a long time and need to be undertaken carefully. Similar anti-suicide bombing fatwas appear to have yielded scant results in the Middle East, where the practice is used by Islamic State and other militant groups. The Pakistani scholars, who declared that "no individual or group has the authority to declare and wage jihad (holy war)", said suicide bombings violate key Islamic teachings and, as such, were forbidden.

Pakistan clerics issue fatwa against suicide bombings