Woman tied to post, tortured with cold water in chilly winter morning
A woman dressed in winter clothing was tied to a post as two people poured water over her using a small bucket and a mug. Her expression showed she was unable to cope with the shock of the cold water and was in visible distress.
Those pouring the water were seen smiling, while several others stood around watching. One person recorded the incident on a mobile phone. A video of this violence against a woman went viral on Facebook on Saturday.
Following the video, Prothom Alo learned on Sunday that the incident took place at Morol Bazar in the Nadda area of Gulshan. The woman was tied to a post and tortured by pouring water on her on Friday, 2 January, after allegations of theft were made against her.
Late on Saturday night, police from Gulshan police station detained five people for questioning over their alleged involvement in the torture. However, police have not yet been able to trace the woman.
On Sunday, Prothom Alo spoke with Gulshan police station officer-in-charge Md Rakibul Hasan and police officers who took part in the operation. They said the viral video came to the attention of police on Saturday and the location was identified as Morol Bazar in the Nadda area under Gulshan police station. At around 10:30 pm, police conducted a raid there and, with the help of local residents, reached Markajut Ta'lim Al-Islami Madrasah, where the incident took place.
According to madrasah staff, between 6:30 am and 7:00 am that day, two child students saw the woman reaching into the pocket of a panjabi hanging on a hanger in the room of a teacher named Lokman. When the children raised an alarm, another teacher named Ekram came out from a nearby room and detained the woman.
The madrasah staff further said they initially intended to hand her over to police but decided against it, saying it was too early in the morning to find police. They then decided to punish her themselves. As part of this punishment, the woman was tied up and water was poured on her before she was released. Later, several people put her on a bus bound for Uttara.
Someone from the crowd watching the punishment recorded the video and posted it on Facebook. After reviewing the footage, police identified five individuals. However, no one in the area could identify the woman, and police believe she is not a local resident. She has not yet been identified.
The room from which the woman was detained is on the fourth floor of the madrasah building. How she managed to enter that room remains unclear.
Attempts to contact the madrasah using the mobile number displayed on its signboard were unsuccessful, and text messages also went unanswered.
Officer-in-charge Md Rakibul Hasan told Prothom Alo that police took immediate action after seeing the video and brought five people to the police station for questioning the same night. No case has been filed so far, and a police team is searching for the victim.
Asked what steps would be taken if the woman cannot be found, the OC said the matter would be discussed with higher authorities.
When asked whether a case would be filed and under which sections of the law, he said those decisions would also be taken through discussion.
Police sources said those brought to the police station for questioning include two madrasah teachers, Lokman and Ekram, and three students.
The video of the torture has sparked strong public reaction. Many people shared the video on social media and demanded punishment for those involved.
Rights activist Ferdous Ara Rumi shared the video and wrote, “Where are the law enforcement agencies? Find these people immediately, for God’s sake.”
Several people echoed the demand for accountability.
A certain MA Mamun, wrote, “Is this the law? If people take the law into their own hands, what is the role of the judiciary? On what grounds are they handing out such punishment? It shows there is no rule of law in the country.”