Rape incidents continue amid widespread protests

Despite widespread protests against rape and the government’s plan to toughen the law in this regard, the incidents of rape, gang rape and molestation never seem to decline across the country.

In Bagerhat, a female NGO worker has allegedly been gang raped at her Maitkumra house at Fakirhat.

Police arrested Mamun Sheikh, 30, early Sunday in this connection.

The victim filed a case against four people -- Mamun Sheikh, Firoz Nikari, 29, Raju, 25, and Musa, 29, -- in this regard on Sunday. 

One of them is a three-wheeler driver and three others are construction and agriculture workers, police said. 

Pankaj Chandra Roy, Superintendent of Police of the district, said the four miscreants entered the victim’s house at night and raped her in turns.  

Police seized a video of the incident which was recorded by the rapists to blackmail her, Pankaj said. 

The culprits also looted Tk 16,000 and gold ornaments from the victim’s house.  

Patrol police arrested one of them but three others managed to flee, the SP said.  
“We’re on a manhunt to catch others,” he added. 

In Rangpur, police early Sunday arrested a youth as he allegedly raped a sixth grader in Ghulai area of Badarganj.

The arrestee was identified as Rayhan Haque, 26, son of Haniful Haque. 

Officer-in-Charge of Badarganj Police Station Habibur Rahman Hawladar said the victim's family was a tenant of Rayhan’s house in Ghulai area.

Rayhan raped the girl when she was alone in the house on Saturday night, he said.

Later, the victim's father filed a case with Badarganj Police Station over the matter, he added.

The girl has been sent to Rangpur Medical College and Hospital for a medical test, the OC said.

In Sylhet, police arrested a young man as he allegedly raped a teenage girl for seven day after confining her in Barchatul village of Kanaighat upazila.

The arrestee was identified as Mizanur Rahman, 28, son of Rafikul Haque.

Mizanur took the 16 years old victim at his house promising to marry her on October 3, where he raped her several time after confining her for seven days, said Sub-inspector Mainul Islam of Kanaighat Police Station.

Police conducted a drive at Mizanur’s house and rescued the victim, SI said.

Victim’s father filed a case with Kanaighat Police Station over the matter, he added.

The victim was sent to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital for medical tests, he said.

According to Ain-o-Salish Kendra (ASK), a human rights organisation, some 1,000 rape cases were reported in the country, including 208 gang rapes, between January and September 2020.

Waves of anti-rape demonstrations erupted across Bangladesh after a video footage of five men gang-raping a housewife, stripping her naked and filming the video of the incident in Noakhali’s Begumganj upazila, went viral on social media on Sunday.

The incident occurred at Joykrishnapur village under Eklashpur union of the upazila on September 2.

Protesters including students, leaders and activists of different organisations have been demonstrating for the last few days over the growing incidents of rape, sexual harassment and violence against women in Bangladesh.

Source:UNB