Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members last night arrested the staff nurse of United Hospital in Dhaka, suspected of sexually harassing a female patient, from Dhaka airport area.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of Rab-1 conducted a drive in the area and detained Saiful Islam around 11:50pm, Najmul Hasan Rajib, an assistant director of the elite force, told The Daily Star.

Saiful went into hiding after he allegedly abused a female patient when she was lying unconscious in the post-operative Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the reputed hospital.

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Following the incident, Saiful first went to Barisal and then Chittagong. Later, he came to Dhaka, said Najmul, also assistant superintendent of police.

He will be handed over to Gulshan Police Station, the Rab officials added.

The assault incident was reported by the Bangla daily Jugantor on December 3, under the headline which translates as "Female patient sexually harassed at United Hospital".

Saiful was fired by the hospital authorities following the incident, the daily reported quoting an official of the hospital.

The High Court on the same day directed police to arrest Saiful for sexually harassing the female patient.