What began as a quiet afternoon journey home turned into a horrific ordeal for a young college student travelling to Baniachong upazila of Habiganj from Dhaka.

Alone and unsuspecting, she boarded a local bus, never imagining the trauma that would unfold.

According to police and case documents, the driver and helper of the bus took advantage of her solitude.

As the vehicle moved through its route on Sunday afternoon, the two men allegedly raped the student inside the moving bus.

The harrowing cries from within the vehicle drew the attention of nearby locals.

Alarmed by the sounds, they surrounded the bus and intervened. It was then that the victim, distressed and frightened, told the locals about the assault she had just endured.

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The locals acted swiftly. They detained the driver, identified as Sabbir Mia, 25, and reached out to local Army personnel for assistance.

In a display of community-army coordination, the locals handed over the accused driver to the Army, who then turned him over to Nabiganj Police Station later that night.

But, Liton Mia, 26, the bus helper and the second accused, managed to escape during the commotion. But not for long!

Within 24 hours of the incident, a joint operation led by RAB-9, based in Shayestaganj Camp, tracked down and arrested Liton Mia in the Jalalpur area of South Surma Police Station, Sylhet, on Monday night.

His identity was confirmed in a press release from RAB. He is a resident of Rashidpar village in Bishwanath upazila, Sylhet.

The prompt action by law enforcement agencies and the immediate response by alert locals played a crucial role in ensuring that the accused did not evade justice.

As the victim now begins the slow and painful journey toward healing, the community remains shaken but resolute --united in their demand for justice and safety on public transport.