They were let go as the police did not find their involvement in the incident after a primary investigation, Abul Hasan, assistant commissioner (New Market Zone) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said. “However, the police will keep close tabs on them.”
On Saturday, the victim – Anushka Noor Amin – was laid to rest in Kushtia. She was “sexually assaulted” and “killed” on Thursday in the capital’s Kalabagan.
also read: O-level student ‘rape’: Victim laid to rest in Kushtia
Police received the 17-year-old’s body from a hospital and arrested her “boyfriend” Fardin Iftekhar Dihan and three of his friends from there.
The victim had gone to a friend’s house in Kalabagan for group study, family sources said.
Also read: O-level student ‘raped, killed’ in Dhaka
Anushka’s father filed a case against Dihan on Thursday night, accusing him of sexually assaulting and then murdering her.
Dihan, who is alleged to have raped and killed her at his family flat in Kalabagan, gave a confessional statement before a Dhaka court on Friday.
Also read: O-level student 'rape, murder': Suspect Dihan confesses before court
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mamunur Rashid recorded the statement and sent him to jail pending further hearing, according to an officer of Kalabagan Police Station.
The court fixed Jan 26 for the next hearing.
Also read: O-level student 'rape, murder': Case filed, 1 shown arrested
Meanwhile, doctors performing the autopsy of Anushka found evidence of rape in her body.
After completing the autopsy on Friday, Dr Sohail Mahmud, head of the forensic department at Dhaka Medical College, said she died due to excessive bleeding in her vaginal and anal areas.
Also read: O Level student's autopsy reveals evidence of rape; death due to excessive bleeding
Samples were also collected for DNA profiling and to determine whether any anaesthetic drug was administered to Anushka.
Dr Sohail added that the exact cause of death could only be confirmed once the autopsy report is out.
Also read: Bangladesh introduces death penalty for rape