‘Forced marriage’ to rapist: Pabna OC now suspended

Obaidul Haque, officer-in-charge of Pabna Sadar police station who was earlier withdrawn for allegedly forcing a gang-rape victim to marry one of her rapists at the police station, has now been suspended, reports UNB.

Superintendent of Police of the district Sheikh Rafiqul Islam on Wednesday said the police headquarters took the new action Obaidul after analysing the probe report. He was attached with Chattogram range.

On 12 September, Obaidul was withdrawn and a sub-inspector suspended over the incident after a probe body formed by the district police found their involvement with it.

According to media reports, the victim, a housewife, had an extramarital affair with Russel Hossain, a youth from Shahpur Jasadal village of Pabna Sadar upazila.

On 29 August, Russel and his accomplices - Hossain, Shariful Islam Ghantu, Sanju and Osman - abducted her and raped her for four days before the victim managed to flee.

Her relatives hospitalised her on 6 September.

Police arrested Russel and Ghantu after the victim filed a written complaint. But the OC did not record any case and instead forced her to divorce her husband and marry Russel at the police station.

A case was later registered on 9 September over the gang-rape and all the five suspects, including Russel, were arrested.