Bangladesh: Hindu Woman Raped, Video Sparks Protests; 5 Held As Dhaka Students Demand ‘Exemplary Punishment’

<p>Bangladesh police have detained five individuals accused of raping a Hindu woman in a remote area of Comilla district and sharing a video of her ordeal on social media. A disturbing clip, now circulating online, shows the woman unclothed and pleading.</p>
<p>In a statement, police said, &ldquo;On June 26, Fajr Ali Fajr (36), son of Shahid Mia, from Ramchadrapur Panchkitta village under Muradnagar police station in Comilla, was detained and beaten by locals after being accused of raping the wife of an expatriate resident&rdquo;, news agency ANI reported. Authorities added, &ldquo;Later, the injured Fajr Ali fled the scene. Some individuals present recorded a video of the victim and distributed it online.&rdquo;</p>
<p>A case was registered at Muradnagar Police Station, and police confirmed they had apprehended Fajr Ali along with four others involved in filming and circulating the footage. Legal proceedings against all five are underway.</p>
<h3><strong>Dhaka University Protests, High Court Directs Police To Take Down Video</strong></h3>
<p>According to PTI, the incident triggered widespread condemnation across Bangladesh on Sunday after the assault video surfaced online. Nazir Ahmed Khan, Comilla district&rsquo;s police chief, confirmed that the main accused was arrested in a predawn operation in Dhaka&rsquo;s Sayedabad area. Four others were also arrested for revealing the victim&rsquo;s identity and sharing her photo on social media.</p>
<p>Students at Dhaka University marched on campus denouncing the crime, while residents of Jagannath Hall, a dormitory reserved for minority community students, organised processions demanding justice. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, called for strict punishment, declaring, &ldquo;Exemplary punitive action against the culprits&rdquo; was necessary.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the High Court directed authorities to immediately take down the viral video and ordered that the survivor receive security and medical treatment, Dhaka Tribune reported.</p>
<h3>Bangladesh Law Adviser Says ‘We Will Ensure Justice'</h3>
<p>&ldquo;We will ensure justice in the Comilla Muradnagar rape case with the utmost seriousness. We are determined to do so,” Bangladesh Law Adviser Asif Nazrul said, as per Dhaka Tribune.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Like ordinary citizens, we are also deeply shocked by the rape. Our home ministry has taken immediate action. The prime accused, along with those involved in spreading photos of the incident, a highly irresponsible and criminal act, have all been arrested. We have amended the law related to rape. You have seen a swift trial in the Magura case. We will also ensure justice in the Muradnagar case with the utmost seriousness,&rdquo; the law adviser added.</p>
<p>Local reports informed that the woman had been visiting her paternal home in Muradnagar when the suspect broke in at night.</p>
<p>Citing the survivor’s statement, Bangladesh police informed that she had been visiting her father&rsquo;s house with her children for a fortnight. Around 10 pm on Thursday, the main accused appeared at their house and demanded that she open the door. When met with refusal, he broke in and raped her.</p>
<p>According to Dhaka Tribune, the neighbor stated they heard loud noises from the house that night and went to the house with others to find the door broken. When they realised the woman had been assaulted, they beat Fazor Ali and sent him to a hospital, from where he managed to escape later.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed, son of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her former advisor, condemned the incident on X, blaming the interim government for rising cases of mob attacks, terrorism, and rape over the past 11 months.</p>
<p>The violence against minorities has reportedly surged since the Awami League government&rsquo;s fall last August. Hasina fled to India on August 5 last year following a street movement led by Students against Discrimination, which resulted in Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, 85, assuming control of the interim government three days later.</p>
<h3><strong>Protests Over Minority Rights, MEA Urges Bangladesh to Protect Hindus</strong></h3>
<p>On May 31, organisations including Sammilita Sanatan Parishad held a human chain and protest march in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka, decrying violence against religious minorities and ethnic communities across Bangladesh. The alliance said in a statement that the demonstration aimed to highlight ongoing atrocities targeting vulnerable groups.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, on May 16, thousands of women&rsquo;s rights activists gathered on Manik Mia Avenue near Dhaka&rsquo;s Parliament, rallying under the banner &ldquo;A march of solidarity at the call of women&rdquo; to oppose efforts to strip women of their rights under the guise of religious pretexts.</p>
<p>During a weekly media briefing on June 27, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed concerns from New Delhi. In reference to the damage caused to a Durga temple, he stated, &ldquo;Let me underline that it is the responsibility of the interim government of Bangladesh to protect Hindus, their properties, and religious institutions.&rdquo;</p>