Two raped in subarnachar: AL leader tried to make it look like a burglary

Two people, including a local AL leader, were sent to jail yesterday in a case filed over the rape of a woman and her minor daughter in Char Wapda union of Noakhali's Subarnachar upazila early Tuesday.

They are prime accused Abul Khair alias Munshi, president of Char Wapda union AL and a former union parishad member, and one of his accomplices, Mehraj Uddin, 48, a seasonal cattle trader.

The other accused, Harun, also a cattle trader, is currently absconding, police said.

Noakhali Court Inspector-1 Md Shah Alam yesterday told The Daily Star that Mehraj confessed before Senior Judicial Magistrate Tania Islam of Noakhali Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court in the afternoon.

Following his statement, the court ordered him to be sent to jail.

Charjabbar Police Inspector Md Zainal Abedin, also the investigating officer of the case, told The Daily Star that yesterday Abul Khair was produced before the same court, which sent him to jail.

He added that a seven-day remand was sought from the court for further interrogation.

"The court has scheduled the hearing for Thursday."

Speaking to one of the correspondents yesterday, the victim said Abul Khair Munshi had staged a burglary to carry out the rape.

The 29-year-old mother of three said he was angry at her for blocking his phone number after he made repeated inappropriate sexual proposals.

The victim's husband said Abul Khair was their neighbour, who his wife would call "uncle".

"My wife and children used to collect water from his tubewell.

"A few months ago, he took my wife's phone number and would make inappropriate proposals when I would not be around. Despite her complaints, I ignored the matter, fearing social repercussions given his political influence. When my wife blocked him on her phone, he got furious."

He added that Abul Khair even offered to provide financial help to the victim's family.

"As my wife refused his favours, he got angry and wanted revenge. That's why he broke into our home with two others on Tuesday. They staged a burglary and raped my wife and daughter."

The husband, a day labourer, was out looking for work in the nearby Hatia upazila when the incident occurred.

"My father-in-law called me around 2:30am on Tuesday to tell me what had happened. I reached home in the morning and found my wife and child devastated."

He demanded exemplary punishment for the rapists.

Hours after his arrest, Abul Khair was expelled as the president of Char Wapda union Awami League, Md Hanif Chowdhury, secretary of Subarnachar AL, confirmed to The Daily Star yesterday.

According to the victim, who is currently undergoing treatment at Noakhali General Hospital along with her daughter, Abul Khair threatened to burn down her house if she disclosed the rape incident to anyone.

"We are safe here in the hospital, but I don't know if we can safely return home and live there. Munshi is very influential. I'm worried about my daughter's future."

Noakhali Superintendent of Police, Md Asaduzzaman, told a press conference yesterday that the other accused, Harun, had persuaded Mehraj to break into the victim's house, saying the family had money.

"Mehraj broke into the house first and let the others in. They found the woman and her daughters sleeping.

"There, Abul Khair and Harun raped the woman and Mehraj raped one of the daughters, who is a minor."

Jakir Hossain, a member of Char Wapda Union Parishad's ward-5 and a local AL leader, said he came to learn that Munshi would often harass the victim.

"He got angry at her for blocking him and staged the burglary to rape her with the others."

According to Jakir, Abul Khair settled in Tal Tala Bazar in 1968 and joined AL in 1991. Enjoying close ties with a district AL leader, he served as union unit Awami League president for 17 years without councils. He served as an elected member of the Ward-5 of Char Wapda Union in 1995, 2005, and 2010.