rape
Khulna man sentenced in absentia to life for raping, killing minor
A court in Khulna on Friday sentenced a man in absentia to life in jail for raping a minor domestic help on the pretext of marriage and killing her in 2010.
Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-3 Judge Mahmuda Khatun handed down the punishment to Sheikh Khurshid Alam alias Rubel after holding him guilty of the crimes. The judge also imposed a fine of Tk 80,000 on the convict.
According to the prosecution, the minor girl started working as a domestic help in the house of Abdul Kuddus in the Arambagh area of Sonadanga upazila.
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Abdul’s son Rubel established sexual intimacy with the minor promising to marry her later. When the girl got pregnant, Rubel made her abort the baby with help of his sister-in-law, the court was told.
Following the abortion, the girl started putting pressure on Rubel to marry her. To get rid of her, Rubel set her on fire on June 16, 2010, following an argument and then left the house.
Hearing her screams, neighbours rushed her to Khulna Medical College and Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries during treatment.
However, the girl managed to give a dying declaration that was used by the police to implicate Rubel in the case, Tipu Lal Dash, sub-inspector at Sonadanga police station, told UNB.
READ: UNB's Khulna correspondent rewarded for performance
On October 4, 2010, the police submitted a chargesheet in the court against four people in the case, including Rubel.
The court, however, acquitted the other three accused in the case for lack of evidence.
Youth held for raping minor in 2017
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has nabbed a youth from the Chaturi Choumohuni area of Anowara upazila in Chattogram for allegedly raping a five-year-old girl in 2017.
The accused has been identified as Md Shipon, 27, son of Md Selim, a resident of Keshua village in Chandanaish upazila, the elite force said in a statement on Tuesday.
According to the case statement, Shipon lured the minor to his house on February 18, 2017, while she was playing outside her house. Later, he allegedly violated the girl.
Read: Woman’s body recovered from river in Chuadanga
The girl's mother filed a complaint at the Chandanaish Police Station on the same day, according to the statement.
Based on the complaint, a RAB-7 team conducted an operation in the area and nabbed the accused. He was later handed over to the Chandanaish police.
Barishal ward councillor arrested on rape charges
A ward councillor was arrested in a case filed over rape of a woman at Mogorpara area of Kashimpur on Thursday.
The arrestee was identified as Azad Hossain Molla Kalam, councillor of Barishal City Corporation's 30th ward.
Promising to marry the victim, Kalam raped her several times, said officer-in-charge of Barishal Airport Police Station, Komolesh Chandra Halder.
READ: Barishal ward councillor arrested on rape charges
On Thursday, he raped her again. After this, the victim pressured Kalam to marry her but Kalam.
However, a police complaint was lodged on Friday afternoon alleging rape, OC Halder said.
Based on complaint, Kalam, also the president of Barishal District Truck Workers Union, was arrested from Bakerganj on Friday evening, said sub-inspector Saidul Islam.
READ: One held over assault on Barishal University student, her husband
Meanwhile, the woman was taken to the OCC of Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital from the Victim Support Center of Barishal Metropolitan Police for medical treatment and examination.
16-yr-old loses her way, raped by 5-7 youths in Natore
A 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped by five to seven youths whom she asked for directions to reach her grandmother's house in Natore Thursday.
Police claimed to arrested five of the youths in the early hours of Friday.
The girl left her home in Naldanga upazila on Thursday noon after a fight with her mother, said Munsur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Natore Sadar police station.
READ: Rape case accused arrested in Sylhet
"However, she lost her way in the Chatni area of Natore Sadar upazila in the evening while going to her grandmother's house. When she asked the accused for help, they took her to a deserted cremation ground and took turns to rape her," the OC said.
Locals spotted the girl in the late hours of Thursday and dialled 999. They also handed over to the police five of the youths whom they caught. However, locals said, two other accused managed to escape in the dark.
Bangladesh's rape epidemic
Sexual assaults on women continue unabated in Bangladesh, despite the government introducing death penalty for rapes last year.
A police headquarters report, released recently, said that 26,695 rape cases were filed across the country in the past five years.
Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) data shows that 1,018 children were raped last year alone, but only 683 police cases had been filed. Also, 116 survivors were six years old or below.
Overall, 1,627 rape cases were reported last year and 53 of the women were killed by the perpetrators while 14 took their own lives, as per the data.
However, ASK's data is just the tip of the iceberg, according to aid agencies, who report that most women are too afraid to report rape.
In October 2020, the country was rocked by protests after a woman was allegedly attacked and raped in Noakhali.
READ: Main accused in a Chandpur rape case evades arrest; 3 held
In November last year, Bangladesh introduced capital punishment for rape, following days of protests against sexual violence against women in several cities across the country.
But human rights organisations say the move will not solve the country's rape crisis, as the survivors of the heinous crime are often stigmatised in the society.
5 held over rape of 2 indigenous girls in Mymensingh
Five men have been arrested in connection with the rape two Garo girls at Haluaghat upazila in Mymensingh.
The arrestees are Shorif Mia,20, from Katolmari village, Mizanur Rahman,22, and , Abdul Hamid, 19, from Katabari village, Mia Hossain,20, and Rukon Mia,21, of Kochuakura village in the upazila.
Of them, Abdul Mia was arrested as a suspect while others were accused in the case filed by the victims, said police.
Md Ahmar Uzzaman, District Superintendent of Police, said two teams of Detective Branch arrested the five people from different districts on Friday night.
Also read: 5 held over rape of 2 indigenous girls in Mymensingh
On December 27, some men picked up the two indigenous girls while they were returning to their home after attending a wedding progrmame at night.
They took them to a forest at Katabari village and raped them.
On December 30, a rape case was filed at Haluaghat police station accusing 10 people.
Also read: Pregnant woman raped by "brother-in-law" in Bandarban
Cop, 3 others arrested for raping woman in Noakhali
Police arrested four people, including a police constable, in a case filed over raping a woman in Sudharam police station compound.
The arrestees were identified as Traffic Constable Munshi Maqbul Hossain, 32, son of Abdul Wahab from Madla village in Kasba upazila of Brahmanbaria district, CNG driver Md Kamrul, 25, son of late Aman Ullah from Nazirpur village, Abdul Mannan, 49, son of late Mofiz Ullah of Dadpur village in Sadar upazila and Nur Hossain Kalu, 30, son of Abul Kashem of Anantapur village in Begumganj upazila.
Read: Section 144 imposed in B’baria
Investigating Officer Mizanur Rahman Pathan said the woman came to Noakhali from Dhaka on Thursday noon for personal work. “When she faced a financial crisis, the young woman met her familiar CNG driver Kamrul."
“But Kamrul and his two associates Mannan and Kalu took her to Sadar traffic police Constable Maqbul. The constable raped her inside chef Kalam’s room,” the inspector added.
Confirming the matter, Shahed Uddin, officer-in-charge of Sudharam Model police station, said the victim’s mother had filed a police complaint against four people on Friday.
The woman was raped inside cook Abul Kalam’s room on the police station premises on Thursday afternoon. Police arrested the four in the night and produced them before a court on Friday and sent them to jail, the OC added.
Read: 11 years of Felani Killing: wait for justice gets longer
“Victim's physical examination has been completed at Noakhali Medical College Hospital. The victim is now in police custody”.
Rape in Chattogram: step father held
Rab have arrested a person on Thursday night for allegedly raping his teenaged stepdaughter in Chattogram's Hathazari.
The arrestee Ibrahim Hossain Parvez, 35, is the son of Nur Islam of Fatika village in Hathazari.
Read: Cox’s Bazar gang rape: Prime accused Ashiq put on 3-day remand
The incident occurred on Wednesday when the 10th grade school girl came to visit her mother.
Next day, her mother lodged a complaint in this regard.
RAB-7 senior assistant director (media) Nurul Abshar said, on the basis of the complaint Ibrahim was arrested on Thursday from Hathazari’s Madhyam Mirer Khil area.
Read: Cox’s Bazar schoolgirl rape: Prime accused, 2 others held
After filing a case the man was handed over to Hathazari police station, he said.
Cox’s Bazar rape: another accused arrested
A team of tourist police arrested another accused of the tourist rape case from Ghonapara area of Cox's Bazar on Monday night.
Mehedi Hasan Babu, son of Abul Kashem of Cox's Bazar, was arrested at around 9 pm.
Cox's Bazar zone tourist police additional superintendent Mohiuddin Ahmed said he is the second accused in the case. So far six people have been arrested in connection to this case.
READ: Section 144 imposed in Cox’s Bazar ahead of BNP rally
On the night of December 22, a woman who claimed to be a tourist alleged that a miscreant named Ashik picked her up from the city and gang raped her with his companions. That night RAB conducted a raid and rescued the victim from Hotel Zia Guest Inn in Cox's Bazar.
RAB arrested hotel manager Chhotan on the basis of the complaint.
Next day, husband of the victim woman filed a case against 7 people.
READ: School teacher killed in Cox’s Bazar road crash
The case is being investigated by the tourist police.
Mohila Parishad: 3703 women, girls suffered violence in 2021
A total of 3703 women and girls were subjected to different forms of violence including rape and murder in 2021, according to a report of Bangladesh Mohila Parishad.
Some 1235 females were raped in the last year. Of them 1028 females including 629 girls were raped, 179 females including 62 girls were gang raped and 31 females including 22 girls were killed after rape, said the report published on Monday.
Bangladesh Mohila Parishad President Dr Fouzia Moslem and its General Secretary Maleka Banu presented the report at a press briefing in the city.
Also read: Women suffer more violence from jobless men staying home: Webinar
The organisation compiled the statistics based on the reports published in13 newspapers.
According to the report, 155 females including 93 girls were subjected to rape attempt while 33 females including 14 girls were subjected to sexual assault while 95 females including 62 girl children faced sexual harassment.
Besides, acid attacks were carried out on 22 women including five girls while four of them succumbed to burn injuries.
The report also said that 23 females including three girl children were subjected to burn injuries and of them ten succumbed to their injuries.
Meanwhile, 180 females including 153 girl children were victims of abduction while eleven others were subjected to such attempts.
Forty-two females including six girl children were trafficked while 46 women, including 32 girl children were harassed at different times.
The report also said 138 females including one girl child were subjected to physical torture for dowry and of them 45 were killed for dowry.
As many as 208 females including 58 girl children suffered physical torture while 444 females including 114 girl children were killed for various reasons.
Also read: UN voices "serious concerns" over increasing violence against women
Eighty-seven women, including 19 children were subjected to murder attempt while 427 females including 131 girl children died mysteriously, said the report.
A total of 121 female students including 43 girl children committed suicide while eleven attempted to commit suicide.
There were incidents of 327 child marriages across the country while 63 females including 23 girl children were victims of cybercrime.
There were 260 incidents of child marriages in Kishoreganj district alone while 1242 incidents of child marriage were reported from Tangail in the past one and half year.
Writ seeks judicial inquiry into Cox's Bazar gang-rape
A writ petition was filed with the High Court on Monday seeking its directive to conduct judicial inquiry into the recent gang-rape of a tourist in Cox’s Bazar.
Supreme Court Advocate Abdullah Al Harun filed the writ petition to the office concerned of the High Court.
This writ petition is likely to be presented before the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman for hearing.
Read: Cox's Bazar gang rape: Prime accused Ashiq arrested
The petition sought issuance of a rule seeking explanation as to why the Cox's Bazar District Judge or Chief Judicial Magistrate should not be directed to conduct a judicial inquiry into the rape incident and take appropriate legal action against the accused.
Six persons, including Home Secretary, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary, Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police have been made respondents.
On December 22, a 22-year-old woman was taken to a desolate place near the golf club where three accused allegedly violated the woman following an altercation with her husband.
Read:Cox's Bazar horror: Woman kidnapped & raped by 3 in front of husband & child
Later, she was taken to Zia Guest Inn and there the three accused again took turns to rape her for hours. They released her in the early hours on the following day and allegedly threatened to kill her family if she discloses the matter to anyone.
On December 23, the woman’s husband filed the case under the Prevention of Women & Children Repression Act at Cox's Bazar Sadar Model Police Station accusing seven people. So far, six people have been arrested.