According to information placed at the monthly meeting of the law and order committee on Sunday, most of the victims were aged below 18. Even, women with disabilities were also not spared.

Deputy Commissioner of the district Anar Koli Mahbub presided over the meeting held at his conference room.

Although police arrested a number of alleged rapists, there was no decline in the incidents of rape, meeting sources said.

Whip Atiur Rahman Atik, adviser to the committee, expressed his concern over the rise in rape incidents in the district.

He underscored the need for strictly enforcing law to deal with rape. “Steps have to be taken so that no rapist is spared,” he said, emphasising the need for creating social awareness to this end.

Superintendent of Police Kazi Ashraful Azim said there are directives that police will take action instantly if there is any allegation of rape. “Police have taken a zero-tolerance policy against rape.”

He also claimed that police arrested all the accused in rape cases in the district.

The SP said they were carrying out different programmes to create public awareness in this connection.

A fourth grader was raped by a young man in Sreebardi upazila on June 5 when the Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated.

According to police and family sources, the girl had come to her grandfather's house at Shalmara village to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with her relatives. When she was playing with other kids, one Akram took her to a nearby house and raped her.

On May 1, a 40-year-old man allegedly raped a Class-VIII girl in Sreebardi upazila.

The victim was alone at her house at Shankar Ghosh village around noon when Ujjal Mia, the suspect, went to her house and raped her, police said quoting her relatives.