The accused in the gang-rape case picked up the victim and her husband from the gate of MC College in Sylhet, according to the victim's husband and a former BCL leader.
There were four people at the spot in the beginning. Two took the husband and wife with them, while another drove the car to the hostel. Another followed the car on a bike.
The woman was abused thrice at three places between the spot of abduction from the car and the hostel. After the incident, the rapists remained at the hostel and told the woman and her husband to leave.
A local person and former BCL leader came to help the newly married couple. He found the rapists inside the hostel. At that time police were waiting for permission from the college authorities to enter the college. The rapists took this opportunity to flee.
The victim's husband, 24, and a former Chhatra League leader made these statements about the rape of the 19-year-old victim at the hostel of Murari Chand College on Friday night.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, the victim's husband said he was confined while his wife was being abused. The perpetrators demanded Tk 50,000. They also took away the victim's earrings and gold chain.
On the following day, Saturday, the victim's husband filed a case charging nine people.
Arjun Laskar, 25, Rabiul Islam, 25 and Mahbubur Rahman alias Roni, 25, were arrested in connection with the incident.
Sylhet Metropolitan Police spokesman and additional deputy commissioner (media) Jyotirmoy Sarker said seven teams were operating drives to nab the rest.
The victim's husband was in police custody till 10pm on Saturday. After being released from police custody, he visited his wife at the One Stop Crisis Centre at Osmani Medical College Hospital at 10:30pm.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, the victim's husband described the incident. He is a resident of an upazila adjacent to Sylhet. He returned from Saudi Arabia about one and half years ago. He bought a private car. He rents out the car sometimes, and they also use it themselves. He also has a CNG-run auto-rickshaw.
He got married three months ago. He lived at his father-in-law's house in Sylhet city. He and his wife went out in their own car on Friday evening.
He said, "I went to a shop to buy some food, parking the car in front of the gate of MC College at 7:30-8:00pm. From there I saw some youths were looking the car." He immediately returned to the car.
He said, "We were chatting and eating when suddenly some youths surrounded our car. They wanted to know our identities. They also wanted to know why we went there. We said we are a married couple. They threatened handing us over to police, accusing us of 'anti-social activities'. We told them that we are husband and wife. Three of them entered the car by force. One of them sat in the driver's seat and started driving the car."
The victim's husband said Tariqul drove the car. Saifur Rahman and Arjun Laskar held them inside. Shah Mahbubur Rahman followed by bike. The husband identified them by photos and came to know their names.
He said the accused directly drove the car to the college hostel and parked it by a hillock beside the four-storey hostel building. They demanded Tk 50,000, saying they would release them if their demands were met.
The victim's husband said, "I only had Tk 2,000 with me and gave them the amount saying I didn't have any more. They took my wife's earrings and gold chain. They started beating me when I protested."
He said several others joined at one stage of the incident. His wife was abused thrice at three places. The miscreants took his wife from the car to the hostel and brought her back to the car and then took her away again.
The victim's husband said, "I was talking loudly to them to release us. At one stage I noticed someone from a rooftop was watching. He came down. Later I came to know he was a student. The rapists threatened him and told him to go back to the hostel."
"They kept us hostage for half an hour more after the torture. They were demanding money repeatedly."
"They told us to pay Tk 50,000 and take the car back. I told them to keep the car and set us free. I cannot remember the time then. We were two or three hours there," the man said.
He seemed to be frightened while recounting the incident to Prothom Alo. Some people nearby were keeping watch on him.
The victim's husband said, "At one stage, they released us, keeping the car. My wife and I came to the main road in tears. We stopped a CNG-run auto-rickshaw and implored for a loan of Tk 100. Seeing that we were crying the driver agreed to take us. I had a number of Sylhet police commissioner. I phoned him from my wife's cell phone."
The police commissioner received the call the third time.
The victim's husband said, "I told him about the incident. The police commissioner said he will look into the matter and he will call me if necessary."
He stopped the auto-rickshaw at Tilagor intersection about half a kilometers away and phoned the police commissioner. A resident at Tilagor named Mihit Guho Chowdhury alias Babla Chowdhury came up to them as they were crying. He is former Sylhet district Chhatra League oganising secretary. He now runs a business. The victims described the incident to him. Babla Chowdhury took the couple to the spot of the incident. "Those who are involved will not be spared," the victim quoted Babla Chowdhury as saying.
The accused were at the hostel
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Babla Chowdhury said, "When I was talking to the victims, they received a call. I took the phone and attended the call. Hearing the voice, I came to know it was Saiful. He was threatening the victim, telling him to leave the place. I introduced myself and said I was coming and would see what they would do."
Babla Chowdhury said and the couple were going towards the hostel. As we reached the college gate, I called the Shah Paran police station officer-in-charge thrice. The OC said he is on the way.
Babla Chowdhury said he told the victims to stay with some of his acquaintances in front of the college gate. He entered the college hostel. He found several people including Saifur and Rabiul.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Babla Chowdhury said, "Seeing me, they handed me the car keys of and the mobile phone. They said the victims left these. Without saying anything, I started moving towards the gate of the hostel. I was waiting for police so that I could help the law enforcers to catch the perpetrators red-handed."
"Upon my return to the college gate, I saw the OC was waiting for permission from the college authorities. A sub inspector and I went to the hostel again. By this time, the accused had fled," he added.
When asked about the matter, Shah Paran OC Abdul Quayum Chowdhury said he went to the hostel gate of MC College after receiving the news of the incident from local people and police officials.
"I made a couple phone calls to enter the college hostel. I can't say whether the accused fled from the hostel within such a short time."
*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.