When the protector becomes perpetrator
Odhikar
It
was the most tragic day in her life. She passed bad times before, but
this was the most horrific of all. She came to the house of a police officer
with the hope of getting a good job. But she lost the most valuable asset
of her life, her chastity, there.
She
is Rubina Khatun (20) of Khulna. After her first husband died, she got
married for the second time with a laborer of Rupsha river port, Faruk
Hosain. Faruk Hosain had already another wife and Rubina became his second
wife. With Faruk Hosain and his first wife, Rubina had to pass a very
difficult life because she had a two and a half years old daughter, Ruma,
from her first husband.
In
September last, Rubina became acquainted with Choti Begum in Khulna. Choti
Begum proposed her to provide a very good job at the residence of the
Officer-in-charge (OC) of Jiban Nagar police station, Shah Alam, in Chuadanga.
Rubina agreed and they left for Chuadanga on 11 September. They arrived
at the residence of OC in the evening of the same day. The OC came back
home at 11 in the evening. He told Choti Begum to keep the daughter of
Rubina with her. He took Rubina to her bedroom, gave her a saree and soap
and told her to have bath. He had taken a peel then and after half an
hour, he forcefully started to have sex with Rubina. The torment on Rubina
continued for two hours. She tried to save her modesty from the perpetrator
OC for several times, but failed. The 55-year-old OC, whose son-in-law
is also a police officer, with all his masculine vigor, molested a weak,
destitute woman whom he was supposed to protect. The ravage was unbelievable
for Rubina.
After
satisfying his perverted thirst, the OC gave Tk. 300 to Rubina and Tk.
700 to Choti Beguma and told them to leave his place soon. He also threatened
them not to disclose this incident.
Coming
out of OC's residence, Rubina and Choti were walking for a while in search
of a rickshaw. Finding nothing, they walked for one and a half km. and
reached at Jiban Nagar Bazaar. Walking was difficult for Rubina because
of the ravage she had just faced. It was early morning and Rubina requested
Choti Begum to have something for breakfast of her daughter Ruma. Choti
refused to do that and they started quarrelling each other. People in
the bazaar area gathered to know the reason. Then Rubina broke into tears
and started to tell the people about the misfortune and the terrible experience
that she had had last night.
Coincidentally
the convener of local unit of Bangaldesh Nationalist Women Party, Farhana
Akter Rini went to the spot. She took them to Jiban Nagar Thana Health
Complex for medical examination of Rubina. The on-duty physicians, observing
the condition of Rubina, suggested to take her to Chuadanga General Hospital.
Then Rini took them to Thana Nirbahi Officer. He kept Rubina in his care
and contacted high police officials of the district. The OC was closed
immediately by the district police administration. The Additional Police
Superintendent Mizanur Rahman made a quick intervention in visiting the
victims and closing the OC at District police line.
On
13 September, at the intervention of some local human rights organization
and District Human Rights Monitoring Cell, Rubina filed a case against
the OC and Choti Begum under section 9(1)/30 of Prevention of Repression
against Women and Chindren Act 2000 (PS case no. 10, date 13/09/2003).
Choti Begum was sent to thana custody after filing of the case.
On
13 September, Rubina's statement was recorded under section 164 of the
Cr.P.C. in the court of First Class Magistrate. On 15 September, a four-member
medical board did the medical examination of Rubina. They found several
spots of injuries on victim's body. Blood clot and dead sperm were also
found in the private organ of the victim. The medical board has given
their report on 16 September. 'After considering the above findings, the
medical board opined that there is definite positive sign of forceful
sexual intercourse'.
Between
11 and 15 September, several behind-the-curtain initiatives were taken
to suppress the incident. Local level BNP leaders and workers of its wings
took side of the OC and threatened victim Rubina not to proceed with the
case. On behalf of the OC, some people threatened Rubina directly of dire
consequences. There were attempts not to do the medical examination of
the victim.
Local
people informed that even after the incident, several women were found
coming to the OC's residence during evening. When asked, one of them told
that she came twice to OC's residence and spent night there in exchange
of money. The perpetrator OC was arrested subsequently and sent to Chuadanga
prison from where he was sent to Kushtia Prison. The matter is now being
investigated by Assistant Superintendent of Police Mostafa Abdul Halim.
Police Superintendent of Chuadanga Aminul Islam informed that the charge-sheet
of the case would be filed very soon.
Odhikar
came to learn from field investigation that Choti Begum became acquainted
with Shah Alam when he was posted in Rupsha police station in Khulna.
Choti's brother was accused in an acid throwing case and Choti was lobbying
with Shah Alam to get her brother exempted from the case. Before the incident,
Choti received a request from OC Shah Alam to supply him a girl to satisfy
his lust. From reliable sources, Odhikar also came to know that OC Shah
Alam once received President's award for his good performance and achievement
in service life.
On
17 Spetember, the District and Sessions Judge of Chudanga ordered to give
Rubina and her daughter in the custody of Bangladesh Society for Enforcement
of Human Rights (BSEHR) a human rights organisation. Rubina and her daughter
are now staying at the shelter home of the organisation in Dhaka.
Odhikar,
a human right organisation carried out this investigation on the basis
of a news report titled 'OC arrested on charge of rape in Chuadanga' published
in The Daily Star on 16 September 2003, with the support of Academy for
Educational Development (AED).