Abu Maruf Hossain, the deputy commissioner of Rangpur Metropolitan Police, said ASI Raihanul Islam was suspended for his alleged involvement in the incident.

The victim’s family said ASI Raihanul, who identified himself as ‘Raju’, had an affair with the ninth-grader aged around 15.

He was recently transferred from Haragach police station to Rangpur metropolitan DB.

On Sunday morning, he called the victim to the house of one Aleya Begum at the Kedarer Pool area and raped her. He later had her raped by a group of young men.

Raihanul got out of the house when the victim fell ill and informed police. The girl was rescued around 8:30pm and taken to the police station.

Police detained Aleya and her associate Surovi that night.

The victim’s father filed a rape case accusing Raju and several others.

Maruf said the victim had informed them about a policeman named Raju. “ASI Raihanul was taken into custody for questioning to ascertain whether he was Raju,” he said.

He was suspended after the rape allegation was raised against him. “The case has been transferred to the Police Bureau of Investigation,” Maruf said.

Human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra said that nearly 1,000 rape cases were reported in the country between January and September this year, including over 200 gang rapes.

But the original number is believed to be much higher as many victims do not report assaults.

A series of rape incidents rocked the country in recent weeks, prompting the government to make death penalty as the highest punishment for the crime.

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