The acting chairman of Badarpur union in Patuakhali Sadar upazila, Babul Howlader, has been accused of orchestrating an arson attack on the house of a woman who had filed an attempted rape case against him.
According to local sources, unidentified assailants set fire to the house of the victim in Mithapur village late last night.The blaze spread quickly, forcing the family members to flee for their lives. Despite efforts by locals to control the fire, most of the house was reduced to ashes.
The victim and her family alleged that the attack was carried out at the instigation of acting chairman Babul Howlader and his associates.
They claimed they had been receiving threats ever since filing the case against him for attempted rape and looting. A powerful local group had also been pressuring them to withdraw the case, they added.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Patuakhali Sadar Police Station, Imtiaz Ahmed, said, “We are investigating the matter, and legal action will be taken against those responsible,” he said.
Meanwhile, attempts to contact the accused chairman for comment were unsuccessful as he did not respond to phone calls.