College girl ‘gang raped’ in Madaripur

A college student was allegedly gang raped by her “boyfriend” and his cohorts in a jungle of Kazibakai in Madaripur yesterday.

The victim has been admitted to Kalkini Upazila Health Complex.

Police and locals said the girl went to meet her boyfriend Rifat Akon, of Maizpara in Kalkini, yesterday afternoon. She was then lured into the jungle and raped by the five.

When her condition became serious, the five left her at Kalkini Upazila Health Complex.

Sumon Deb, additional superintendent of Madaripur police, said the father and mother of Rifat were detained for quizzing.

Meanwhile, Detective Branch of Police detained an eleven-year-old boy from Laxmipur area in Rajshahi city last night in connection with the rape of a two-and-a-half-year-old girl in Kajla area.

The boy, who works in a restaurant, was handed over to Motihar Police Station, said DB Inspector Rashidul Islam.

The boy's family and the victim's family share a house.

The victim was in Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

Incidents of rape and sexual harassment have been making headlines almost regularly of late.

Between January and June, 319 incidents of rape were reported by the media, according to rights body Ain o Salish Kendra.

Bangladesh Mahila Parishad puts the figure at 429.

In addition, 104 incidents of gang rape and 80 incidents of sexual harassment were reported during the same period.

According to Manusher Jonno Foundation, 229 children have been raped in the last seven months.

The Daily Star reported at least 13 incidents of rape in which 16 women and children were violated in July alone.

One of the victims was as young as four, who was allegedly killed by the perpetrator after rape. 

Of these incidents, the alleged rape of the Bogra college student by the now-suspended Sramik League leader Tufan Sarkar sparked widespread outrage.