The arrestee is Jabed, 25, assistatant generator operator of the train.

According to the passengers, on Friday night while the Dhaka bound ‘Shurma Mail’ was passing through the Lawachara National Park, accused Jabed forcefully took the victim into the generator room and raped her. Hearing the victim's screams, passengers captured Jabed and handed him over to Shreemangal railway police later.

Also read: Bangladesh introduces death penalty for rape

Sheemangal railway police station’s Officer-in-Charge Md Alamgir Hossain said passengers captured the accused as he was trying to run away after raping the victim in a secluded compartment of the train. The case is under investigation and the accused was sent to jail after appearing before court.

The victim was sent to Moulvibazar Sadar Hospital for necessary medical tests, said police.

Death penalty for rape proving ineffectual

Overall, 1,627 incidents of rape were documented last year. Fifty-three of them were killed after rape and 14 of the victims took their own lives, ASK data showed.

Also read: Death penalty fails to deter rapes

The data was collected from various newspaper reports. But the actual number is believed to be much higher as many victims choose not to report sexual assaults fearing their safety.

Bangladesh amended the law last November making death penalty the highest punishment for rape amid countrywide outrage sparked by gang rape incidents in Sylhet MC College hostel and Noakhali.

The cabinet approved the amendment on October 12 last year. A day later, the president promulgated an ordinance in this regard.

Also read: Reform rape law, finish probe, trial timely: MJF

Between Oct 13 and Dec 31, at least 160 incidents of rape were reported, ASK said.

Perpetrators are rarely held to account. Human Rights Watch said the conviction rate for rape in Bangladesh is below 1 percent.