3 minor girls raped in two dists

Three minor girls were allegedly raped in Bagerhat and Patuakhali on Tuesday.

In Bagerhat, Hira Aktar, 12, a student of Gazirghat Dakhil Madrasa in Morrelganj upazila, was allegedly killed after rape.

The victim’s father Gaus Sheikh said her daughter was alone at home in Paschim Baharbuniya village. When he and his wife returned home

around 5:00pm, they found that their daughter’s body was hanging from the ceiling in her room.

“We suspect that my daughter’s body was hanged after rape,” said the father while talking to The Daily Star.

Police detained three people for their alleged involvement in the incident, said Reazul Islam, additional superintendent of Bagerhat police.

In Patuakhali, a first grader and a second grader were allegedly raped by neigh-bours in Sadar and Dashmina upazilas.

In Sadar upazila, a man named Masud took the first grader to a bush when she was returning home from madrasa and then raped her, alleged the victim’s family.

After returning home, the girl disclosed the matter to her family members, who later filed a case against Masud with Sadar Police Station.

Contacted, Mehedi Hasan, investigation officer of the case, said they were trying to arrest the accused.

In another incident, a second grader was violated allegedly by a neighbour in Dashmina upazila.

The accused took the victim to his house when she was on her way home from madrasa and then raped her. When the girl started screaming, locals rescued the victim.

The victim’s grandfather lodged a case against Salim Hawlader, 45, with Galachipa Police Station.

Meanwhile, four people were arrested on charges of rape in Dinajpur, Khulna and Jashore in the last two days.

Our correspondents in Bagerhat, Patuakhali, Benapole, Khulna and Dinajpur contributed to this report.