Student gang-raped after intentional quarrel: RAB

Gopalganj Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University BSMRSTU) student was gang-raped by six youths, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has said.

Khandker Al Moeen, director of RAB (law and media) disclosed this information during a press conference at the media centre of RAB in the capital’s Karwan Bazar area on Saturday.

The university student and her friend were returning to the hostel after shopping in Gopalganj Sadar.

When they reached the helipad area a little away from the city, the five young men intercepted them, the elite force (RAB) said adding these accused men intentionally made quarrel with the student and her friend saying offensive words.

At one stage, the five young men picked up the victim from the spot. Later, they gang-raped her, RAB added.

RAB arrested six people for raping the university student from different places of Gopalganj on Friday.

The arrestees are Rakib Mia alias Emon, 22, Piyas Fakir, 26, Pradip Biswas, 24, Nahid Raihan, 24, Md Helal, 24 and Turja Mohant, 26.

Khandker Al Moeen said all the persons involved in the incident are professional criminals. Each of them is accused in several cases. The arrestees have confessed to the incident of the gang rape during the primary interrogation.

Al Moeen further said the detainees were members of a local criminal gang led by Rakib. They are permanent residents of Gopalganj and surrounding areas. Apart from Turja Mohant, all the members of this gang were involved in various misdeeds including drug abuse, gambling, theft and mugging in different places of Nabinbagh area for 8 to 10 years.

They were drinking liquors in the helipad area on the day of the incident as well. It is learned that they used to harass female school-college students on the streets very often. There are several cases against them.

Responding to a question, Al Moeen said this was the first time this gang had committed a crime like rape. However, the victim or her friend did not know the accused.

Asked if all of the six arrested were involved in the rape, Al-Moeen said the six were arrested on the basis of intelligence information after the rape was confirmed. They have given confessional statements.

According to the RAB, the student and her friend were going to the area adjacent to Nabinbagh helipad by easy bike on the night of 23 February. On their way, they (the arrested persons) intercepted their easy bikes, asked for their names and made various obscene remarks.

Later the two students tried to leave the scene through an easy bike but the miscreants chased them with another easy bike and stopped them. At this point, the victim and his friend got into an argument with five miscreants. They beat up the victim’s friend and forcibly took them to a nearby place. After going there, one of the miscreants called the other accused and gang-raped the student.

RAB said detained Rakib Mia alias Emon worked as a receptionist at a local clinic. It is learned that there are cases against him on the allegation of drug smuggling and clash.

Piyas Fakir worked at a power house in Gopalganj on contractual basis. Pradip Biswas works at a fridge and AC repairing shop.

Nahid Raihan and Helal are second year Honours students at a local college, Turja had completed a diploma from an institute in Khulna.

Later, he went abroad to study mechanical engineering. He returned to the country in the final year due to the outbreak of Covid pandemic.

It is learned that he had started a garment business in Gopalganj Sadar. He has been accused in a case file on the allegation of being involved in clashes.

Several sources from the university said miscreants picked up two students in an auto-rickshaw near Nabinbagh helipad in Gopalganj sadar on Wednesday night. Later, they tied the male student and raped the female student.

Protesting the incident the students of BSMRSTU demonstrated in front of Gopalganj sadar police station, voicing a three-point demand including immediate arrests of the accused and ensuring exemplary punishment.

University proctor Rajiur Rahman filed a case with Gopalganj sadar police station over this incident.