A kindergarten student was allegedly raped by a rickshaw puller in Bogra's Shibganj upazila around 3:30pm on Wednesday.

The accused, Shanto, is the victim's next door neighbour, said one of the relatives of the victim.

“The child, aged 6, was playing in front of her house around 3:30pm on Wednesday. Shanto called her into his room by luring her in with food. When the child began screaming, she was rescued by other neighbours in a bloody condition,” said Shuvon, one of her rescuers.

The girl was first taken to Gobindaganj Upazila Health Complex in Gaibandha, situated near the victim's house. Due to her critical condition she was later shifted to Bogra Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital around 10:30pm. She is currently undergoing treatment there.

Md Rejwanul Hasan, medical officer of the Gobindaganj Health Complex, said, “She was admitted here in a bad condition, with active bleeding and vaginal tear. After primary observation, we gave her primary treatment and then sent her to Bogra Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital for further treatment.”

Deputy Director of the Bogra Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, Nirmalendu Chowdhury said, “We have begun treatment after she was admitted here yesterday. Her condition has improved a little.”

He added that the forensic exams are yet to take place.

Although we did not get any written complain, I had sent a sub-inspector (SI) Mizanur Rahman to inspect the incident, officer-in-charge of the Shibganj police station Shahid Mahmud said

SI Mizanur told The Daily Star that he heard of the incident upon visiting the victim's house, but did not find the accused or his family members.

Incidents of child rape have made headlines of late.

On February 20, a six-year-old was allegedly raped in Narayanganj, a five-year-old in Cox's Bazar on March 26, a 10-year-old in Chittagong on April 18 and a five-year-old was allegedly raped in Faridpur on April 20.