Zaker 'ensured' rape victim's husband detained before polls

The prime accused in a gang-rape case in Kabirhat of Noakhali plotted the arrest of the victim's husband before the 30 December polls, official records and local sources confirmed.

The 29-year-old victim, a mother of three, was raped allegedly at gunpoint by three persons early Saturday (19 January).

The main suspect, Zaker Hossain alias Zahir, was detained the following day, following media reports and public outcry.

Zaker is known in the area as a Jubo League leader of ward number-9 of Dhanshiri union of Kabirhat upazila.

However, the local unit of Awami League, which is mother organisation of Jubo League, now claimed that Zaker is none of the party.
The victim's husband is a construction worker who is a supporter of opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the locality.

Ahead of the parliamentary elections on 30 December, the police detained him on 23 December and sent him to jail in an explosive case in which he was not charged, according to investigation. He was shown arrested as one of the unidentified accused.

Following the rape incident, the victim's husband was granted bail on Sunday.

Coming out of the jail, he went to Noakhali General Hospital where his wife was undergoing treatment. Speaking to Prothom Alo at the hospital on Monday, he said two local leaders had him caught and handed ove3r to the police. One of them is Zaker Hossain and another is Murad, he alleged.

Dhanshiri union Awami League president Abdul Mannan confirmed that Murad is a party activist.

According to the victim's husband, he is a construction worker. He is not directly involved in politics, but he is a supporter of the BNP.

On 23 December, he was detained from his house, he said adding AL leaders Murad and Zaker Hossain Zahir were present during his arrest.

"You do politics of the BNP. Go to jail and serve the jail term," the victim’s husband quoted Murad as saying.

He also said, "I didn't know why I was being detained."

Kabirhat police station officer-in-charge Mirza Mohammad Hasan said the rape victim's husband was arrested as an unidentified accused in an explosive case.

The OC, however, denied the allegation that the Awami League and Jubo League men accompanied the police during the arrest.

But the lawyer of the arrested person, Rabiul Hasan said there may be a link between the husband's detention and rape of his wife.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.