AL leader, 2 aides sued for raping teenager

Police in Dinajpur are looking for a 50-year-old local Awami League leader accused of raping a teenage girl several times and filming the acts to blackmail her and her parents.

The girl's father, a labourer, filed the case against Anwar Hossain, the general secretary of Sundarban Union AL, his chauffeur Manik, 45, and one of his cohorts Hafez, 48, on February 7.

After giving her statement at a court, the 16-year-old girl told reporters on Monday that she was once raped in Anwar's car while Manik was driving.

According to the case statement, Anwar and the 16-year-old girl are acquaintances, and he invited her to his home one day about two years ago.

When the girl went to his home, she found only Anwar was at home, it said, adding that he forcibly undressed the girl and took photos of her.

Anwar then threatened to share the photos with others and blackmailed the girl into letting him rape her on many occassions. He also filmed when he raped her and used the video clips to exploit her even further, read the complaint. 

The girl told her parents what was happening on January 25. But when the family members met Anwar, he again threatened to share the videos with people. 

The girl's family members tried to marry her off. But Anwar foiled the arrangement, according to the statement.

The father said he had not gone to the police earlier because he wanted to protect his daughter from the social stigma.

Sub-inspector Jashim Uddin of Kotwali Police Station, who is investigating the case, said police teams are looking for the accused.