Schoolgirl in hospital for week after rape

A ninth-grade schoolgirl remains hospitalised for a week after she was allegedly raped by a middle-aged local man in Brahmanbaria's Bijoynagar upazila.

The 16-year-old girl's father filed a case on Saturday with the Bijoynagar Police Station against one Mannor Ali, 45. The case also accused two unnamed others.

According to the case statement, the ninth grader was returning home from one of her relatives' houses on the evening of June 8. On her way, Mannor and two others abducted her to a nearby house.

Mannor, with the help of two others, raped her there. At one stage, the girl managed to scream, hearing which locals rushed there and rescued her, added the case statement.

A day later, the girl was admitted to the Brahmanbaria Sadar Hospital.

On June 10, the victim's father filed a police complaint that was later registered as a case, said Sohidul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bijoynagar Police Station.

"The accused people went into hiding after the incident. Police are trying to arrest them," he added.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday at the hospital, the victim's father said that some influential local individuals were trying to persuade him to settle the matter outside the court.

"But I want justice for what has happened to my daughter," he said.

However, the OC said, "The victim's family members did not inform us about any such pressure. Police will provide all necessary security to the victim's family."