Khagrachhari incident: NCP’s Hannan Masud embarrassed over ‘fake rape’ remark, calls for harsher punishment

National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Abdul Hannan Masud has expressed “embarrassment” after sparking controversy by describing the alleged gang-rape of an adolescent girl from an ethnic minority community in Khagrachhari as a “fake rape”.

He “regretted” using an unwarranted word and called for severe punishment for perpetrators of sexual violence.

Hannan Masud, the party’s senior joint chief coordinator, said he is “embarrassed and regrets” for using the phrase.

In a later Facebook post he wrote, “One cannot in any way deny a heinous crime such as rape. The perpetrators must be punished with the utmost severity.”

The remarks came amid widespread outrage over the alleged gang-rape of a schoolgirl from an ethnic minority community and the subsequent protests, violence and fatalities in the district.

The controversy prompted the resignation of Olik Mri, the sole representative of an ethnic minority community on the NCP central committee.

He also accused the party of maintaining silence over the Khagrachhari incident on Monday morning.

Citing Hannan Masud’s description of the incident as a “fake rape”, Olik Mri said he was compelled to resign in protest.

Shortly after Olik Mri announced his resignation from the post of central joint organising secretary (northern region), Hannan Masud posted on Facebook asserting that an allegation of rape is being used to incite unrest in the hills.

He wrote, “If anyone threatens my country’s sovereignty I will fight even with my life. Not even a speck of this nation will be allowed to be used in conspiracy. Enough of this pseudo-liberalism.”

He, however, deleted that post within a short while and gave another one around 2:00 pm, acknowledging the mistake.

In the subsequent Facebook post Hannan said he had used the term “fake rape” inadvertently and instantaneously during a speech in Hatia (Chandani Union, Noakhali district) the previous day (Sunday), and that doing so was never his intention. “I am embarrassed and regretful for using that unfortunate expression,” he wrote, appealing to supporters and critics alike to regard it as a momentary lapse.

The NCP leader urged citizens from both the hill districts and the plainland to stand united and to forestall any attempts by defeated or fascist forces to sow division.

He also called on law-enforcement and the government to hear all sides and to control the situation through dialogue.

In his Hatia remarks, Hannan Masud had claimed there was a conspiracy against Bangladesh’s hill tracts, alleging that India sought to seize the region and that “they are playing their last trump card by destabilising the hills”.

He asserted that a purported rape allegation had been used to pit Bengalis against ethnic minority communities and demanded that the government respond forcefully.