United News of Bangladesh

Lamia, a 17-year-old girl and daughter of martyred Jasim Uddin, who was killed in police firing during the July Movement in Dhaka, reportedly died by suicide on Saturday night. She was found hanging at her rented house on Road-6 in the Sheikhertake area of the capital around 10pm. Although she was taken to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, physicians declared her dead upon arrival, said Kalam Hawlader, a paternal cousin of the martyred Jasim, over the phone. Lamia’s grandfather, Sobahan Hawlader, said he spoke to her on Saturday morning. "I told her to come to the deputy commissioner’s office on Sunday to seek government assistance, as her father is a martyr of the July Movement," he said. 13-year-old dies ‘by suicide’ in Old Dhaka "She told me her mother had taken her to Dhaka and that she would return to Patuakhali on Sunday," he added. Later that night, Kalam Hawlader informed him over the phone about the tragic incident. Earlier, on the evening of March 18, Lamia, a college student, was gang-raped while on her way to her maternal grandfather’s house in Pangashia union under Dumki upazila. Following the incident, she filed a case against the accused. Police arrested two suspects, Sakib and Sifat, and produced them before the court. Subsequently, Nahid Islam, convener of the newly formed 'National Citizen Party', visited Lamia while she was undergoing treatment at Patuakhali Hospital and inquired about her family's condition. BNP Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman also spoke to Lamia’s mother over the phone from London to inquire about the overall situation. After 37 days of the incident, Lamia's reported suicide on Saturday triggered widespread criticism and outrage on social media platforms. 13-year-old dies ‘by suicide’ in Old Dhaka Maksudur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Dumki Police Station, said Lamia’s body had not yet reached her village home. "No complaint has been filed yet. However, we received a message regarding the matter and we are ready to take legal action as soon as the body arrives," he added.

A case was filed against five people on Sunday over the alleged rape of a seven-month-pregnant woman in Pachdona union of Narsingdi’s Madhabdi upazila. The 23-year-old victim lodged a complaint at Madhabdi Police Station on Saturday naming two of the accused, said Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Nazrul Islam.  According to police, the victim was living in a rented house in Bhagirathpur with her husband who was jailed in a case linked to the July movement. Upon his release, she informed him about the incident and filed the case.  Police arrested Iqbal Hossain ,43, son of Joynal Mia from Asmandirchar in Pachdona union while the second named accused, Pappu Mia ,29, son of Abdul Motaleb from the same area, managed to flee.  HC orders completion of Magura child rape trial in six months The incident took place between February 19 - 21, when the woman was allegedly held captive in a room for two days and gang raped.  Md Anwar Hossain, Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle), said that the victim appeared at Madhabdi Police Station on Friday night. She claimed that Iqbal posing as a lawyer had deceived her by promising to help secure her husband’s release. Later, four people allegedly drugged her, detained her in a building for three days, and sexually assaulted her in turns.  Police have inspected the crime scene based on the victim’s information. One of the accused was arrested and a drive is underway to arrest the other suspects, said the OC.

A college student was gang-raped while visiting a beach in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram on Saturday. “We have received information about the incident, and the police have visited the scene. Further details will be shared after an investigation,” said Md Mojibur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Sitakunda Model Police Station. According to the police, the student had gone to visit Guliakhali Beach with a friend when four men forcibly took her to a nearby forest and raped her. Magura rape victim shifted to Dhaka CMH for better treatment Locals rushed to the spot and rescued her, while the rapists fled the scene. Speaking over the phone, the victim said, “We came to visit Guliakhali Beach. As we were heading towards the shore, they held me hostage and took me into a nearby jungle, where they raped me one after another. Despite pleading for mercy, I couldn’t save myself.”

A case was filed in connection with the ‘gang-rape’ of a schoolgirl in Mohammadpur upazila of Magura on Tuesday. The rape survivor’s  father lodged a complaint with Magura Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal accusing three people after failing to lodge the complaint at the police station on Monday. The accused are Gholam Rabbani,42, son of Imarat Molla of Kalukhandi village and his associates Ashad,35 and Alamgir, 27 of the same village. Read: Prime accused in Bagerhat gang rape case held Woman and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Pronoy Kumar Das directed Mohammadpur police to record the case after taking the complaint into cognisance. According to the statement, Gholam Rabbani used to pressurize the victim for developing a love affair with him. As she continuously refused, the accused picked up the girl on Sunday night at gunpoint and took her to a brick kiln where they raped her in turns.  When asked about the refusal to register the complaint, Ashraful Islam, officer-in-charge (Investigation) of Mohammadpur Police Station, said he is not aware of it. "We have already started an investigation after receiving the court order,” added the OC.

A 35-year-old man has been apprehended in connection with the recent gang-rape of a housewife in Bagerhat, the second arrest in the case. The arrestee has been identified as Enamul Hawladar, son of Mansur Ali, a resident of Morelganj upazila. A history-sheeter, Enamul was arrested on Friday, police said on Saturday. "On Thursday, Rab-6 nabbed the prime accused in the case -- Riaz Shikdar, 38, son of Abdul Majid Shikdar -- from the Bagmara area of Kachua upazila," said Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of Morelganj Police Station. "Efforts are on to arrest the other accused in the case," he added. READ: Gang rape of Thakurgaon school girl: 2 arrested Al-Asad Md Mahfuzul Islam, company commander of Rab-6, said, "We started a shadow investigation after a rape case was filed at the Morrelganj police station on Wednesday against Riaz and 10 others." Meanwhile, Bagerhat chief judicial magistrate recorded the statement of the woman in this case, said OC Iqbal Bahar. READ: Cox’s Bazar gang rape: Prime accused Ashiq put on 3-day remand In late hours of Tuesday, the 10 accused -- all burglars -- broke into the family's house and raped the woman before decamping with cash and gold jewellery.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members on Thursday arrested the key accused in the incident of gang-raping a woman while committing burglary tying her husband and son in Morrelganj upazila in Bagerhat. The arrestee was identified as Riaz Shikder,38, son of Abdul Mazid from  Barshibah village in the upazila. Rab Khulna-6 nabbed the accused from Bagmara area in Kachua upazila during a drive, said Police Superintendant Al-Asad Md Mahfuzul Islam, also company commander of Rab-6. He said Rab started a shadow investigation along with police after a case was filed at Morrelganj police station on Wednesday following the complaint lodged by the woman’s husband accusing Riaz and some 10 others. Riaz is being interrogated at the Rab-6 office and efforts are on to capture the other accused, said the SP.  Also read: Gang-rape in Bagherhat: Key accused held by Rab Meanwhile, Bagerhat Chief Judicial Magistrate recorded the statement of the woman in this case under section 22, said Md Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury, Officer-in-Charge of Morrelganj police station. Dr Sheikh Adnan Hossain, Resident Medical Officer (RMO) of Bagerhat Sadar Hospital said, “A board consisting three female physicians has conducted the medical examinations of the housewife and they will soon give a report”. In late hours of Tuesday, a gang of burglars entered a day-labourer’s house by digging through the lower part of the mud house before committing the crime. Also read: Schoolgirl gang-raped in Bagerhat They also took way gold jewellery, money and other valuables from the house before fleeing, said the husband in the complaint.

Students of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University (BSMRSTU) in Gopalganj have blocked the busy Dhaka-Khulna highway since Thursday morning in protest against the gang-rape of a fellow student. Proctor of the university Rajiur Rahman said that the female student was allegedly raped by seven to eight people in Sadar upazila of the district on Wednesday night. Read: Gang rape of Thakurgaon school girl: 2 arrested According to a friend of the student, the accused abducted the student while she was returning home in a three-wheeler near Nabinbagh Helipad in Sadar upazila around 9.30pm. Later they took her to an under-construction school building and took turns to rape her. “I have spoken with her and lodged a complaint at the Gopalganj Sadar Police Station,” said the proctor. As soon as the news spread, the students of BSMRSTU staged a demonstration in front of the police station at night. Read: Schoolgirl gang raped in Thakurgaon Around 8 this morning, the students blocked the Dhaka-Khulna highway at Ghonapara in Sadar upazila, halting vehicular movement on the high-speed corridor. Nihad Adnan Tahian, additional superintendent of police, said a police team had raided the area. "We hope to nab the accused soon."

Police said on Tuesday that they arrested a youth and were looking for four others after a housewife accused them of gang-raping her in Monpura under Bhola district.   In a case filed with Monpura police, the woman said she was assaulted by the youths on Sunday night at a garden near her house. Police arrested the prime accused, Alauddin, at dawn on Tuesday. They are hunting down four others -- Md. Belal, Md Helal, Md Yusuf Dalal and Md Selim. Read: Housewife gang raped in Jashore; 4 held - Locals told UNB quoting the woman she was at home with her two children as her husband went fishing in the sea. When she opened her door after hearing several knocks and a ‘woman’s voice’, the attackers stormed into the room, tied her up and carried her to the adjacent garden where she was raped. Neighbours rescued her around 1 am from the garden in a critical condition and took her to Bhola District Hospital. Also read: Mother-daughter gang raped; 2 arrested Confirming the incident, Sayeed Ahmed, the officer-in-charge of Monpura Police said one accused has been arrested and efforts to nab the others are on.

The High Court on Wednesday ordered the authorities concerned to suspend the principal and  hostel superintendent of MC College in Sylhet within 7 days  for their negligence of duty over the gang-rape of a woman on the campus in September last year. The court also ordered the authorities concerned to take departmental action against Principal  Prof Mohammad Saleh Ahmed and hostel superintendent Jiban Krishna Acharaya. The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order. Read:Trial in MC College gang rape, extortion cases to run simultaneously: HC The court  on Tuesday fixed today for passing an order after hearing on a rule issued over the rape incident. Advocate Mohammad Mishbahuddin stood for the writ petitioner while deputy attorney general Nowraz Mohammad Russel represented the state. The High Court on September 29 last year formed an investigation committee to look into the MC College gang rape incident. A suo moto rule was issued in this regard by the bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim. It also asked the committee to record the statement of the victim, plaintiff, Principal of MC College, witnesses and others related to the case. Read:MC College gang-rape: 8 BCL men indicted The court also issued a rule asking the government to explain why punitive action should not be taken against the Principal of MC College and hall superintendent for their negligence to save the victim and allowing outsiders to stay at the dormitory. The college principal and others concerned were made respondents to the rule.  

A woman returning home alone was allegedly kidnapped and raped by a group of miscreants in Patuakhali's Bauphal upazila Thursday night. Officer-in-Charge of Bauphal Police Station Al Mamun said Friday the crime occurred in the Chandradip area around 9 pm when the mother of three was returning home alone. "The miscreants kidnapped her and took her to a desolate location, where they raped her. The accused later fled from the spot," the OC said, adding the woman has been sent to hospital for a medical examination. Efforts are on to identify and nab the accused, he said. Also read: Bangladesh introduces death penalty for rape Rapes in Bangladesh Rape cases are on the rise in Bangladesh although the government has introduced death penalty for the heinous crime. According to data compiled by Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), a rights group, 1,018 children were raped last year alone, but only 683 cases were filed at police stations. Among them, 116 survivors were 6 years or below. Overall 1,627 rape cases were reported last year, and 53 of the survivors had been killed by the perpetrators of the crime, while 14 took their own lives, the ASK data reveals. Also read: Don’t reveal identities of sexual harassment, rape victims: HC In November last year, Bangladesh introduced death penalty for rape, following days of protests against sexual violence against women. In October 2020, the country was rocked by huge protests after a woman was attacked and raped in Noakhali district. In another case in Sylhet a week later, a woman was raped by several men at a hostel, triggering nationwide protests again. A total of 26,695 rape cases have been filed across the country in the past five years, according to the police headquarters. Also read: Police HQ: 26,695 rape cases filed in 5 yrs, with notable jump since 2019