Girl commits suicide after attempted rape and 4 years of harassment

Lipi Khatun who committed suicide

Lipi Khatun, a girl who had scored GPA-5 in her HSC exam, committed suicide in Dhunat upazila of Bogura.

She died under treatment three days after drinking poison.

Her family alleged she took her own life after a local man attempted to rape her. She passed away at 12:00 midnight Thursday at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

Lipi Khatun was the daughter of Fazlul Haque of Kaoganti village in Chowkibari union of Dhunat upazila. She appeared in her HSC exam from Jalshuka Habibur Rahman Degree College and scored GPA-5. She poisoned herself on Tuesday morning in her own home.

Her father Fazlul Haque at 10:00pm Thursday night filed a case at the Dhunat police station against six persons including Babul Miah (40) of the village Rudrabaria in the same area.

According to the written complaint and local sources, Babul Miah had been harassing Lipi Khatun for around four years.

Fazlul Haque had appealed to the village elders for justice, but they failed to resolve the problem. Babul was furious that Fazlul Haque has complained against him. At 9:00am Tuesday morning he and his associate Rafiqul Islam of the same locality, entered Lipi's house knowing that no one else was at home at the time. He held her hostage, threatening her with firearms and tried to rape her.

People from around the area, hearing Lipi's screams, rushed to her rescue, but Babul and Rafiqul managed to escape. The news of the matter spread and within an hour Lipi drank poison to kill herself.

Her family admitted her to the Dhunat upazila health complex, but as her condition deteriorated, they took her to the Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College and Hospital. Later, on Wednesday, she was transferred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital where she died at 12:00 midnight Thursday while under treatment.

Lipi's father Fazlul Haque said, "I couldn't save my daughter from Babul. No other girl should have to take her life like this. I want Babul and other involved in this incident to be brought to justice."

Officer-in-charge (OC) of Dhunat police station Kripa Sindhu Bala said, a case had been filed on Thursday regarding the harassment of that student named Lipi Khatun. It was learnt that she died while undergoing treatment. Attempts are being made to arrest the accused.