Accused on 4-day remand

A  Dhaka court yesterday placed a man on a four-day remand in connection with a case filed over the rape of four children -- aged between five and nine -- in Ambagan area of Dhaka’s  Dhamrai upazila.

A judge granted the remand for Afshar Uddin (55) after police sought a seven-day remand for a rape case filed against him, said Dipok Saha, officer-in-charge of Dhamrai Police Station, yesterday.

On Sunday, police arrested Afshar from his home on charge of raping four children. One of the victims’ family members filed a case against Afshar on Sunday night.

Law enforcers later showed Afshar arrested in the case and produced him before a Dhaka court on Monday. The hearing did not take place on the day,  and he was sent to jail, according to police. He was again produced before a Dhaka court yesterday, seeking remand. 

Quoting victims’ families, police said that on Thursday evening, the accused first took the children to his house -- luring them with candy. He then raped the children after taking them to the rooftop, one by one. As the children started crying, the accused fled the scene. Later, some neighbours and family members of the victims rushed to the spot and rescued the children. The incident came to light so late because the victims’ family members initially did not disclose the matter to protect their social image

Later, the family members went to one Waser Ali, a village arbiter, and disclosed the matter to him. Waser then informed Dhamrai municipality councillor Shaheb Ali, said police. On information from Ali, police arrested the accused.

MAN HELD FOR RAPING 5-YEAR-OLD

A 50-year-old man was arrested early yesterday on the charge of raping a five-year-old girl in Islampur area of Dhamrai.

The arrestee was identified as Golam Mostafa, hailing from Netrakona district.

Dipok Saha, officer-in-charge of Dhamrai Police Station, said they arrested Mostafa after the father of the child filed a case against him on Monday night.

Quoting victim’s family members, the OC said the child’s parents are garment workers and were at work, leaving the child alone at their rented house on Monday. Mostafa, their neighbour, took the child to his room -- luring her with candy -- and raped her.

After threatening the victim not to disclose the matter to anyone, Mostafa let her go, the OC said. The incident came to light in the evening, as the victim disclosed the incident to her parents when they returned home.

The accused was sent to a Dhaka court after seeking a five-day remand, he added.