Police yesterday arrested two more people for their alleged involvement in the gang rape of a woman in Noakhali's Subarnachar upazila. 

They are Hasan Ali Bulu and Jashim Uddin. Their names were not mentioned in the first information report, but police held them based on information gleaned from other arrested accused.

Elias Sharif, superintendent of Noakhali police, said a team from Char Jabbar Police Station arrested Bulu in Chattogram city's West Madarbari area around noon. Another team held Jashim from Nazirhat in the morning. 

With the two, seven people, including Awami League leader Ruhul Amin who allegedly ordered his accomplices to rape the mother of four for voting for “sheaf of paddy”, have been arrested in connection with the rape that sparked protest and condemnation.

Four of them were mentioned in the FIR. Nine people were sued over the incident.    

The name of Ruhul, also a former union parishad member, was not included in the FIR.

Talking to reporters, the SP said Bulu was the personal assistant to Ruhul. During investigation, it was revealed that Bulu had hired people for Tk 10,000 to rape the woman.

The police officer also said Bulu had an altercation with the victim at a polling station in Sunday's national election and he also threatened her following the quarrel.

“Whoever is the offender will not be spared,” the SP said, adding that they would arrest others involved in the incident soon.

“They will submit a charge sheet of the case and ensure trial of the case at the Speedy Trial Tribunal.”  

The woman was gang-raped allegedly by 10 to 12 accomplices of Ruhul, who is the publicity affairs secretary of Subarnachar AL, at her home early Monday.

Meanwhile, expressing deep concern over the rape, Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday said, “This incident put our democratic and fundamental rights, and the freedom of expression under threat.”

“The incident made us disgraceful as a nation. Such an incident is difficult to imagine in any democratic country.”

He also demanded the perpetrators be brought to book, said a press release of Gonoforum.

A team of Left Democratic Alliance yesterday visited Noakhali General Hospital where the 35-year-old victim was being treated.

It demanded immediate arrest of the culprits and their punishment through quick trial.

Protesting the rape, Chhatra League (JSD-Ambia), student body of a faction of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal led by Sharif Nurul Ambia, formed a human chain in front of Raju Memorial Sculpture on Dhaka University campus yesterday.

In another development, a delegation of 15 senior BNP leaders, led by its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, will visit Noakhali General Hospital today to enquire about the victim, said a release.

Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam today said that the law enforcers may “shoot if it is necessary” in order to prevent any untoward incident during the Kanchan Municipality elections to be held on July 25.

The election commissioner came up with the remark while addressing a view-exchange meeting on law and order situation ahead of the election at Rupganj Upazila Parishad auditorium in Narayanganj this afternoon, reports our local correspondent.

“Cooperation from all the candidates is needed for holding Kanchan Municipality polls in a free and fair manner. The authorities will take stern measure to prevent any untoward incident or any attempt to create violence during the polls,” he said.

“Do not hesitate to direct the law enforcers to shoot if it is necessary,” he told the authorities concerned.

“Immediate steps will be taken by the law enforcers if voters come up with any allegation against the supporters or agents of any candidate of trying to intimidate the voters,” EC Rafiqul also said.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Narayanganj Md Jashim Uddin, Additional Superintendent of Police Mamunur Rashid, District Election Officer and Returning Officer Matiur Rahman, and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mamtaj Begum, were present at the meeting among others.

The BNP high command has directed the party candidates of Sunday's polls to collect centre-wise results and information on “election anomalies” by today.

The party will compile all the data and submit them to the Election Commission soon, its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told The Daily Star yesterday.

On Monday night, the Jatiya Oikyafront leaders decided to submit a memorandum to the EC on December 3 compiling information on all “polls irregularities”.

Fakhrul will hold a meeting with the candidates at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office tomorrow morning, said Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, senior joint secretary general of the party.

A letter was sent to each of the candidates yesterday asking them to provide eight types of information, including on election anomalies, arrests and killings of BNP men, to the party, he said.

The ruling Awami League secured a landslide victory in Sunday's polls. The Oikyafront, led by the BNP and several other parties, rejected the result and demand a reelection.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda ruled out the demand saying there was no scope for holding any fresh election.

The BNP high command would prepare a summary report and brief foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka following the compilation of data on the centre-wise results and alleged polls anomalies, said a party source.

The high command was observing the overall situation and the reaction of the international community over the election.

Asked about the party's next course of action, a senior leader said they would not do anything hurriedly. 

“We will take some time as the party leaders and activists are devastated by government repression. We will certainly devise our next course of action once we turn around,” BNP Standing Committee member Moudud Ahmed said.

The BNP high-ups have already decided that MPs elected from the party would not take oath as they have rejected the results alleging various polls irregularities, including ballot-stuffing and driving away of their polling agents.

A senior leader from the Oikyafront wishing anonymity said the main challenge for the BNP was to keep the unity within the combine and the 20-party alliance intact.

The Oikyafront nominated candidates in 299 constituencies, only seven of them won.

BNP today alleged that the Election Commission (EC) is not allowing army personnel in discharging their duties to improve the law and order situation.  

“The Election Commission is not allowing the army personnel to work independently,” BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed said while addressing a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office in Dhaka.

Citing several instances of attack on BNP candidates, Rizvi alleged, “All the incidents are taking place under the supervision of the prime minister and the chief election commissioner.” 

Rizvi also blasted Awami League President Sheikh Hasina for her comment that the opposition quarter may unleash subversive activities ahead of the election.

“It is well-known to all that AL is a production house of elevated lies,” the BNP leader said.

Rivzi said members of different law enforcement agencies along with the ruling party men have created a terrifying situation by carrying out attacks on the BNP leaders and activists across the country.

The ruling party cadres with the help of police yesterday carried out attacks on BNP candidates and their activists and drove their poling agents, workers and supporters out of their own areas, he said.

Rizvi, also spokesperson of BNP, claimed that around 10,833 leaders and activists of the party were detained since the announcement of the polls schedule on November 8.

Alongside, the ruling party activists carried out around 2,896 attacks on BNP men that left nine people dead, the BNP leader claimed.

Despite this, the countrymen have united in favour of the “Sheaf of Paddy” symbol by forming resistances at different places ahead of the election, he added.

WHAT DID PRIME MINISTER SHEIKH HASINA SAY?

Sheikh Hasina yesterday said that the opposition BNP appeared to have sensed their defeat in the December 30 elections which could lead them to sabotage the polls.

“Remain careful about any subversive activity of BNP and their cohorts,” Sheikh Hasina said, wrapping up the election campaign for her Awami League and the ruling party-led Grand Alliance as she addressed four election rallies outside through video conferencing.

Apart from this, an Awami League delegation on the same day handed over a written complaint to the Election Commission (EC) alleging that the BNP-Jamaat alliance was engaged in conspiracies over the Sunday's election to unleash anarchy and violence across the country today.