The accused are secretary for science and technology affairs of district Awami League and ex-chairman of Bakerganj municipality Mahbubul Alam, municipal staff Md Tazel Hossain, Sarder Mahbubur Rahman and Md Nuruzzaman Khan, and contractors M/s Talukder Enterprise, HS Enterprise, Nipa Enterprise, Maruf Enterprise, Happy Begum, Badrunnessa Begum, and Alauddin Howlader.

Humaun Kabir and Altaf Hossain, two assistant inspectors of ACC, lodged nine cases against them with Bakerganj Police Station on November 30 and December 1, 2004 under section 5(2) of the anti-corruption acts of 1947.

In the cases, it was alleged that the accused have misappropriated Tk 2. 8 lakh in different development and construction works of Bakerganj municipality.

Rape victim arrested
Police yesterday arrested a rape victim and sent her to safe custody in Barisal.

The arrestee, wife of a rickshaw-puller of Bhuterdia under Babuganj upazila, lodged a rape case with Kotwali Police Station on November 16.

In the case, she alleged that when she was passing the Jagadish Ashram at Natun Bazar area, Biplob Das and Ripon, two local youth lured her to the monastery and raped her.

Police arrested the accused and sent them to jail.

The complainant absconded immediately after filing the case. Police arrested her from the Chawakbazar area of the city on Friday noon.

The arrestee said she went into hiding in fear of harassment and reprisals for filing the case.