শনিবার, ২০শে এপ্রিল, ২০২৪ খ্রিস্টাব্দ ৭ই বৈশাখ, ১৪৩১ বঙ্গাব্দ

Schoolgirl ‘raped on false promise of marriage’ in Brahmanbaria

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Police have arrested a representative of a pharmaceutical company for allegedly raping a schoolgirl in Brahmanbaria on the pretext of false promise of marriage.

The arrestee was identified as Limon Hosen Khan, son of Ashraf Ali Khan of Chandradighalia village under Sadar Upazila of Gopalganj. He was posted as Medical Information Officer at Brahmanbaria Sadar in the Infusion Department of Orion Pharmaceuticals.

Limon was arrested from his rented house near Tank Para after the victim filed a case against him at Sadar Model Police Station on Friday night, said Inspector Abul Hasan Khan, in-charge of No. 1 police outpost.
According to the statement, the victim was introduced to the perpetrator when her elder sister went to Brahmanbaria General Hospital for treatment. They kept in touch with each other over the phone and at one stage, Limon asked her to marry him.

Last Sunday, he told the victim to come to Brahmanbaria where they would get married. But instead of going to the marriage registrar, he took her to his place and raped her.

The victim later filed a case accusing Limon of rape and threatening to kill her. She has been sent to Brahmanbaria General Hospital for medical examination.

Brahmanbaria Sadar Model Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Abdur Rahim confirmed the incident and said a representative of a pharmaceutical company has been arrested in the rape case.

The court has sent Limon to jail.

Death penalty for rape
Last year, during countrywide protests against gang rapes, the government amended the law and made death penalty the highest punishment for rape.

But the change has failed to deter rapists.

Between Oct 13 – when the President promulgated an ordinance on death penalty for rape – and Dec 31 last year, 160 incidents of rape took place, according to Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK).

Last year, 1,627 women became a victim of rape. Fifty-three of them were killed after rape and 14 of the victims took their own lives, ASK said.

But the actual number is believed to be higher as many victims choose not to report assaults fearing their safety.