An influential leader of Bogra town Sramik League, the labour wing of ruling Awami League, raped an adolescent girl after kidnapping her from her home last month. The superintendent of police in Bogra, M Asaduzzaman, has termed this as an act more brutal than medieval barbarism.
The rapist has been identified as the town Sramik League convener Tufan Sarkar.
Tufan, with the help of his party cadres and a female councillor, is now threatening to throw acid on the victim, who passed the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam this year, and on her mother.
On Friday afternoon, they picked up the girl again, this time with her mother, and tortured them for four hours, shaving their heads to humiliate them.
Police said the mother of the girl filed two lawsuits against 10 persons, including Tufan Sarkar, his wife Asha Sarkar, and her sister Marjia Akhter, who is a local councillor, on charges of raping and assisting in the rape.
Law enforcers arrested Tufan and three of his accomplices but his wife Asha and the female councillor went into hiding.
Meanwhile, the victim and her mother were admitted to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital (SZMC).
SZMC surgery department head Professor Motaleb Hossain said that there are seven or eight marks of beating with an iron rod or bamboo stick on the body of the girl.
On Friday, additional superintendent of police in Bogra Sanatan Chakrabarty in a press conference said Tufan Sarkar confessed to raping the girl after trapping her.
His accomplice Atikur Rahman also confessed to their crimes before the court yesterday, he added.
Terming the act as a breach of human rights, SP M Asaduzzaman told Prothom Alo that no one involved with the incident will be spared.
The victim and police said around one and a half months ago when she was going by rickshaw, Tufan Sarkar’s aide Ali Azam intercepted her in front of the office of the AL leader at Chak Jadu Cross Lane and sought her mobile phone number. She gave him a fake number and left the place.
After a week, Tufan Sarkar collected her phone number and gave a call. He said he will help her get admission to Azizul Haque College. He asked for her certificates and Tk 4000 for this.
She sent the certificates and the money to Tufan through Ali Azam.
On 17 July, Tufan called her and said, “I couldn’t arrange your admission. Come to my home and get your certificates,” but she declined to go to his home.
Tufan then sent his car and his aides to kidnap the girl. Tufan’s wife was not at home then. He threatened the girl and raped her. The girl fell sick. Tufan asked his accomplice Atikur to buy medicine for the girl and threatened her for repercussions if she discloses the incident.
Meanwhile, Tufan’s wife Asha and her elder sister, municipality councillor Marjia Akhter went all out to conceal the incident.
On Friday, they sent around cadres to pick up the adolescent and her mother from their home. They tortured the mother and daughter for four hours and shaved their heads.
They also took their signatures on a blank paper and threatened to burn their faces with acid if they did not leave Bogra in 24 hours.
The incident became public after a neighbour of the victims took them to hospital.
Bogra district Awami League organising secretary AKM Asadur Rahman told Prothom Alo, “I am ashamed about this the incident. I want exemplary punishment for him.”
He further said those who gave the top post of a front organisation of Awami League to a person like Tufan Sarkar are also responsible for such an act.
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