The accused has been identified as Dulal Mia. He and the 13-year-old rape survivor are from the same locality in Aminbazar.

The alleged crime came to light on Thursday when the minor complained of abdominal pain and subsequently narrated her ordeal to her parents, following which they approached the police.

Also read: Woman living alone raped by intruder

Officer-in-charge of Savar Model Police Station Saiful Islam said an FIR for rape was filed on a complaint lodged by the girl's family on Thursday night.

"Mia was arrested on Friday on charges of raping the girl for the past one month. She was sent to One-stop Crisis Center of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital for treatment as well as a medical examination," the OC said.

Also read: 2 housewives 'raped' in Bagerhat, Satkhira; rapists held

Recent changes to anti-rape laws

Rapes and sexual assualts on women continue unabated in Bangladesh, despite the government recently introducing stricter anti-rape laws.

Also read: 8 to die for killing minor girl after rape in Chattogram

The much-talked-about 'Women and Children Repression Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2020' was  passed in Parliament on November 17, thus ensuring death penalty as the highest punishment for the heinous crime.

The government came up with the amendment after two back-to-back rapes at MC College and in Noakhali fuelled countrywide protests against sexual violence.

Also read: 2002 Netrokona gang-rape: 5 death row convicts cleared of all charges

Increase in number of rapes against children

At least 1,005 child rapes were recorded last year, a 76.01% increase compared to the previous year, the Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF) has said in its annual report, ‘State of Child Rights in Bangladesh’.

On an average, about 84 children were raped every month in 2019, it said.

Also read: Gang rape at MC College: Charges pressed against eight

Between 2015 and 2019, a total of 3,136 children fell prey to rapists -- 52 crimes every month on an average. But courts have delivered judgments in only 164 cases to date -- 27 of them last year, the BSAF report said.