‘Bogra rape accused must be tried under speedy trial tribunal’

Locals protesting over abduction and rape of a student in Bogra demanded that main accused Tufan Sarkar and his associates must be tried under the Speedy Trial Tribunal.

READ more: Girl abducted, raped in Bogra

They came up with the demand when dozens of people took part in a rally at Saatmatha of Bogra town this morning.

Meanwhile, police were preparing to produce the six people, arrested yesterday in this connection, with a seven-day remand prayer for each before a court at 2:00pm, our staff correspondent visiting Bogra reports quoting Sonaton Chakroborty, additional superintendent of police (Bogra Sadar cirle).

Also READ: Bogra rape sparks outcry, protests

The total number of arrestees in the case is now 10.

Tufan, convener of Bogra town unit of the ruling Awami League's worker front Sramik League, was suspended yesterday as the party leaders think the rape and torture of the girl allegation against him had tarnished the party's image.

Marzia Hasan Rumki, a woman councilor, and her mother Rumi were arrested in Pabna, Tufan's wife Asa and his two associates -- Munna and Zitu -- were arrested in Savar of Dhaka and Jamirur Rahman Runu, father-in-law of Tufan, was arrested at his Bogra home yesterday.

Tufan and his two cohorts -- Ali Azam of Chaksutrapur Khaipatti of the town and Rupom of Kalitala – have been placed on a three-day remand.

However, police did not seek remand for another arrestee Atikur Rahman as he gave a confessional statement before a magistrate.

The victim's mother had filed a rape and torture case against 10 people, including Tufan, Ali Azam, Rupom, Tufan's wife Asha Sarkar and her elder sister Rumki.

Tufan on July 17 allegedly abducted the female student from her home and raped her and then asked his party cadres and the woman councillor to make sure everything was hushed up.

They allegedly picked up the student and her mother on Friday, tortured them for four hours and then shaved their heads.