Police have arrested a woman and detained another man in connection with the gang-rape of a housewife in Bhola’s Tajumuddin upazila, where her husband was allegedly assaulted and confined during the incident.
Meanwhile, three local leaders of the BNP and its affiliated bodies have been expelled over their alleged involvement.
Tajumuddin Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Mohabbat Khan said the victim's husband filed a case on Monday accusing seven people, including Tajumuddin Upazila unit Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal Joint General Secretary Farid Uddin and Jubo Dal activist Alauddin.
As part of the investigation, police arrested the victim's husband’s third wife, Jharnna Begum.
She was produced before the court on Tuesday and sent to jail, the OC added.
In a separate development, members of RAB-8 detained one of the accused, Manik, from the Ilisha launch terminal area in Bhola Sadar upazila on Wednesday afternoon.
According to locals, Farid Uddin and Alauddin went into hiding after their photographs circulated on social media.
Following the incident, leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliated bodies staged a human chain protest in Tajumuddin town on Tuesday, demanding justice for the victim and punishment for those responsible.
Later, Tajumuddin Upazila unit Sramik Dal President Iqbal Hossain Likhan announced the expulsion of Farid Uddin from all party positions, including primary membership, for life.
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Separately, the BNP’s student wing expelled two leaders for violating organisational discipline. According to a press release signed by Bangladesh Chhatra Dal Central Committee Office Secretary Jahangir Alam, Tajumuddin Degree College Chhatra Dal Convener Md Rasel and Joint Convener Md Zainal Abedin Sojib have been removed from their positions following central directives.
Local sources said that the victim’s husband, a resident of a union under Tajumuddin upazila, works at a hotel in Dhaka and has three wives. Two live with him in Dhaka, while the third resides in Tajumuddin.
Two weeks ago, the man returned to his village home with his first wife. Last Saturday, his third wife called him to her residence, where a group of six to seven people, allegedly including Farid Uddin, Alauddin, and several Chhatra Dal members, forcibly entered the house, physically assaulted him, and demanded Tk 5 lakh, saying his another wife no longer wanted to live with him.
When he refused to pay, the group confined him to a room and tortured him throughout the night.
The man’s first wife arrived at the scene the next morning and pleaded with the attackers to release her husband. Eventually, they reduced their demand to Tk 1 lakh. She called her father-in-law to arrange the money, but the attackers then took her husband outside.
After removing him from the house, the perpetrators allegedly locked the doors and windows and gang-raped the man's third wife inside, according to the complaint.
Hearing her screams, neighbouring women tried to intervene but could not open the locked doors.
The victim couple alleged that the attackers threatened them not to disclose the incident and warned of dire consequences if they approached the police. However, the man later called emergency services via 999, prompting police to register their complaint.
The victim woman underwent medical tests and has been admitted to Bhola 250-bed General Hospital for treatment.
The OC said efforts are underway to arrest the remaining accused.