A youth was arrested in Keraniganj for allegedly raping a 14-year-old madrasa girl on Sunday night.

The arrestee was identified as Biplob alias Dipu, 28, son of Kolim of Bamonshur area.

Read:Teenage school girl gang raped in Panchagarh: Prime accused held

Abu Salam, officer-in-charge of Keraniganj Model Police Station, said Biplob abducted the girl and raped her in a house. He freed the girl after eight hours with a threat to kill her if she revealed the incident to anyone.

Later, on Sunday night, Police arrested Biplob when rape-survivor's mother filed a case against him.

The arrestee was sent to jail after being produced before court on Monday afternoon, the OC added.

Bangladesh's rape epidemic

Sexual assaults on women continue unabated in Bangladesh, despite the government introducing death penalty for rapes last year.

Read: Man loses the plot after divorce, rapes wife's underage sister keeping her hostage

A police headquarters report, released recently, said that 26,695 rape cases were filed across the country in the past five years.

Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) data shows that 1,018 children were raped last year alone, but only 683 police cases had been filed. Also, 116 survivors were six years old or below.

Overall, 1,627 rape cases were reported last year and 53 of the women were killed by the perpetrators while 14 took their own lives, as per the data.

However, ASK's data is just the tip of the iceberg, according to aid agencies, who report that most women are too afraid to report rape.

In October 2020, the country was rocked by protests after a woman was allegedly attacked and raped in Noakhali.

Read: Woman gang raped in Sylhet tea estate; 4 arrested

In November last year, Bangladesh introduced capital punishment for rape, following days of protests against sexual violence against women in several cities across the country.

But human rights organisations say the move will not solve the country's rape crisis, as the survivors of the heinous crime are often stigmatised in the society.