Amid countrywide protests against the recent spike in rapes and violence against women in Bangladesh, two women have recently been raped in Chatkhil and Senbag upazila of Noakhali.
A woman was raped at gunpoint in Chatkhil upazila of Noakhali on Wednesday.
Following the filing of a case by the rape survivor, police arrested a local Jubo League leader and seized illegal firearms in connection with the incident.
The arrestee identified as Mujibul Rahman Sharif, 30, the president of Noakhola union unit Jubo League, was expelled by the upazila Jubo League high command following the incident.
Confirming the matter to Dhaka Tribune, Chatkhil police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Md Anowarul Islam said, “The victim has been sent to the Noakhali General Hospital for a medical test.”
“Sharif is wanted in eight more cases, including another rape case,” the OC said.
According to the case statement, the 23-year-old victim, also the wife of an expatriate, was sleeping along with her children when Sharif entered her house at 5am, and raped her at gunpoint.
While he was committing the heinous crime, armed accomplices of the perpetrator were guarding the house so that no one could attempt to save her. He also filmed the incident and threatened to kill her if she discloses the matter.
The OC said: “Police are trying to catch Sharif’s associates.”
Previously, a pregnant woman in Senbagh upazila was allegedly raped by a man and filmed by his accomplices on October 9, just five days after the Begumganj rape.
Three people were arrested over the rape and attempted gang-rape of the woman in Chhatarpaiya union.
Following the filing of the case, 11 days after the incident on Tuesday night, police sent the three suspects arrested over the incident to jail via a court order Wednesday morning.
Police earlier arrested three accused including Hossain Shuvo, 19, Mainul Hasan, 19, and Arman Hossain Rocky, 20. However, they could not arrest Parvez, 25, the key accused.
The woman filed a case with Senbag police station on Tuesday night against eight young men in the area, along with five to six unknown people.
According to the case statement, the woman’s husband worked as a microbus driver. The husband had gone to Chittagong for a trip on October 9, leaving his wife home alone.
Parvez came to know that the woman was home alone and went there at night along with 10 to 12 young men. As Parvez raped the woman, his accomplices recorded the incident through the window.
They later tried to gang-rape the woman, blackmailing her with the video and demanded that she pay them Tk30,000.
Confirming the matter to Dhaka Tribune, Senbagh police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdul Baten Mridha said police are trying to arrest the key accused Parvez.
For the last few days, Bangladesh has seen widespread protests in many districts against rising incidents of rape. Public fury reached a peak after the recent gang-rape incident at Sylhet MC College and a housewife’s molestation in Begumganj of Noakhali district.
Protesters including students, leaders, and activists of different organizations staged demonstrations throughout last week over the increase of rape, sexual harassment, and violence against women.
According to Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), a rights body, 975 women were raped, including 208 subjected to gang-rape, from January to September 30 of this year.
Of them, 45 were killed after rape and 12 others killed themselves.
