Minority persecution in B'desh: Union Parishad member gang-raped, poisoned to death

Guwahati, Dec 28: In a gruesome act of violence against the minority community in Bangladesh, a 50-year-old elected Union Parishad (UP) member from Narail district was allegedly gang-raped and poisoned to death by a group of men.

The chilling crime occurred in Maijpara, a locality in Narail, on December 24, sparking widespread outrage among both Bangladesh's minorities and in neighbouring India.

Although the victim did not initially inform her family of the incident, her health quickly deteriorated, and she was admitted to Jashore General Hospital on December 25, as reported by a Bangladesh daily on Saturday.

Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, the victim succumbed to her injuries on the night of December 26. It was during her hospitalisation that she revealed the horrific details of her ordeal.

Reportedly, the victim, who served as a member of wards 1, 2, and 3 of Maijpara Union Parishad, was returning home on Christmas Eve after distributing subsidised goods when she was lured to Daulatpur village by a local man named Rajibul.

Rajibul allegedly asked her to come to settle a borrowed debt. Upon her arrival, Rajibul, along with accomplices, Faruk, Chanchal, and Shafiqul, allegedly gang-raped her at the residence of one, Moktar Molla.

Disturbingly, the perpetrators filmed the crime and demanded a ransom, threatening to release the footage unless their demand was met.

When the victim resisted and threatened to report the crime, the men reportedly forced her to ingest poison before releasing her.

Hospital staff confirmed evidence of sexual assault and poisoning, with Resident Medical Officer Bazlur Rashid telling the Bangladesh daily that poison had been found in her stomach.

Witnesses, including Molla’s wife Shahida and daughter-in-law Sonia, have corroborated the family’s account, confirming that the victim had been forcibly taken to a room and held captive.

Narail Sadar police station’s officer-in-charge, Saiful Islam, confirmed to a Bangladesh daily that investigations are underway, though the accused remain at large.

This brutal crime comes amid a broader pattern of violence against religious minorities in Bangladesh.

According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, there have been over 2,200 reported cases of violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh as of December 8.

This figure marks a sharp increase from 2022, when 47 cases were reported. Authorities in the neighbouring country are under increasing pressure to ensure justice is served and to hold those responsible for this heinous act accountable.