Sixth-grader girl allegedly raped by classmate's father

Prothom alo illustration
Prothom alo illustration

A man has been accused of raping the classmate of his sixth-grader daughter in Goalanda upazila.

The victim filed a case against Abul Sheikh, 35, with Goalanda Ghat police station on Thursday. Abul is the son of Badan Mridha of the Ghat.

The girl said she went to meet one of her classmates a day after the annual picnic of her school on 29 January.

She called her friend but got no response. Her father Abul opened the door and called her inside. When the girl entered the house, Abul locked the door, gagged the girl and raped her, she alleged.

Abul also threatened to kill her if she disclosed the matter to anyone, she also said. After four days, she informed her family about her ordeal. When her brother went to confront Abul, the man fled, she added.

The victim’s father said a group of locally influential people are creating pressure on them to let go of the incident.

Mohammad Abdullah Al Tayebi, inspector (investigation) of Goalanda Ghat police station, said the victim filed a case against Abul. “We’re conducting drives to arrest the accused,” he said.

Last year, 902 children were raped in Bangladesh, a 153.37 per cent rise from the previous year, according to a report by Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF).

Of the rape victims, 48 per cent were aged between 13 and 18 while 39 per cent between 7 and 12 years. Besides, 93 children fell victims to sexual harassment in 2019, the report said.