Tangail-2 MP under pressure after rape allegation against brother

Tangail town Awami League’s vice president Golam Kibria alias Boro Moni has been accused in a rape case. The case and subsequent protest rallies to arrest Golam Kibria has left his brother lawmaker Tanvir Hasan alias Choto Monir under pressure.

Tanvir Hasan is AL member of parliament from Tangail-2 (Gopalpur-Bhuapur) constituency. Several other leaders of the party are seeking party nomination in the constituency in next general election. Rivals have become active centering the rape case against the running MP’s brother.

A 17-year-old teen filed the case against Golam Kibria with Tangail Sadar police station on Wednesday night. She alleged that Golam Kibria took her to a building adjacent to his house in the town’s Adalatpara area on 17 December, confined there and raped her. Kibria also took her obscene pictures and raped several times again intimidating to spread these pictures. The girl alleged she conceived after the rape. Later on 29 March night, Golam Kibria picked up the girl and raped her again. Kibria’s wife Nigar Aftab also beat her up.

Kibria, however, claimed that the case was filed to demean him politically.

The rival groups have become active against Tanvir Hasan following the case. Over two hundred women brought out a broom procession in Bhuapur Sadar upazila on Saturday. Earlier on Friday morning a protest rally was attended by women in Tangail town protesting the incident. The rally was organised under the banner of ‘Sachetan Nari Samaj’ but no known social or political faces were seen there.

Meanwhile, posters have been hung across Tangail town seeking punishment of Golam Kibria over the case. The posters demanded arrest of Golam Kibria.

The issue was discussed at the meeting of district law enforcement committee held on Sunday. District truck owners association president and Tangail-4 constituency’s lawmaker Hasan Imam Khan’s brother Sharif Hajari raised the issue and asked about the case. Additional police super (crime) Md Sharfuddin replied that the case is being investigated and effort to nab the accused person is going on.

Tanvir Hasan’s supporters blame their political rivals for such situation. District Sramik League’s joint secretary and pourashava councilor Aminur Rahman said filing of the case was part of a conspiracy and the political rivals have instigated the rallies against Golam Kibria.  He said the truth would be revealed through investigation.

The MP’s rivals from Awami League, however, denied the allegation of ‘instigation’. Bhuapur upazila Awami League’s president and pourashava mayor Masudul Haque is the main opponent of MP Tanvir. He is seeking the ruling party’s nomination in the next general election. He claimed the protest rally of women was spontaneous.

“The incident is embarrassing for all who are engaged with politics. Golam Kibria has committed a despicable crime. The rally of women in Bhuapur was spontaneous,” Masudul told Prothom Alo.

Gopalpur upazila parishad’s chairman Younus Talukder said many bad persons accompany the lawmaker. The case filed against the lawmaker’s brother has embarrassed everyone in the party.

Meanwhile, a rally was brought out under the banner of ‘Sachetan Nagorik Samaj’ on Sunday morning supporting Golam Kibria. The rally paraded different streets of the town. Pourashava councilors Aminur Rahman and Kamrul Hasan spoke at the rally. They alleged the case was part of a conspiracy against Golam Kibria.

Asked about the incident, lawmaker Tanvir said the persons who seek party’s nomination in the upcoming general election are trying to tarnish his image using this incident.

Tangail Sadar police station’s inspector (investigation) Md Habibur Rahman, investigating officer of the case, said law enforcers are trying to arrest the accused person.