Two individuals were taken into custody yesterday in connection with a reported sexual assault on a woman in Tazumuddin upazila of Bhola on Sunday evening. The police filed a case against the three main suspects – Rakib, Shakil, and Rasel – on Monday afternoon, leading to the arrest of Rakib shortly after. Another individual named Juwel was also apprehended on suspicion of aiding the primary suspects, as confirmed by Sushanta Malo, the officer-in-charge of the Tazumuddin Police Station.
Authorities reported that efforts are ongoing to locate and detain Shakil and Rasel. According to the victim’s family and law enforcement, the 25-year-old mother was returning home from a religious event at approximately 9:00 pm when she was accosted by the three youths from a nearby village. They forcibly took her to the bank of the Meghna river and subjected her to assault throughout the night. Local residents discovered her in critical condition in an orchard near the scene of the incident the following morning.
The victim’s mother informed reporters that her daughter identified Rakib, Shakil, and Rasel as the perpetrators, noting that they were former classmates of her daughter. She alleged that the assailants intended to kill her daughter and dispose of her body in the river. After a search, the victim was found in an orchard about a kilometer from their residence close to where the assault occurred.
Following her rescue, the victim was transported to Tazumuddin Health Complex and later transferred to the Bhola 250-bed General Hospital due to her deteriorating condition. Dr. Suraiya Yasnoor, a senior consultant at the hospital, stated that the victim had suffered severe injuries to her genitals and was bleeding profusely, receiving necessary medical attention.
Bhola’s Superintendent of Police, Md Shahidullah Kawsar, disclosed that the victim, who appeared to have some intellectual disability, communicated the incident to the authorities, mentioning the three alleged perpetrators. The victim’s father lodged a complaint naming them as the primary suspects. While two arrests have been made, efforts are underway to capture the remaining suspects who are currently evading authorities. Kawsar added that despite some intellectual challenges, the victim was able to provide information and identify the culprits.