Owner arrested over rape attempt in clinic

A court in Mymensingh yesterday sent owner of a private clinic, in Brahmapolli area of Mymensingh city, to jail over a rape attempt on a college girl by the clinic manager.  

The teenage girl, from an indigenous community, filed a case on Sunday night, accusing Alam Mia, 30, manager of Padma General Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, of trying to rape her on Sunday.

Clinic owner Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Babul, 50, was also made an accused in the case for trying to protect Alam.

Mujibur was arrested the same day and was sent to jail yesterday when police produced him before it.  

Police are conducting raids to arrest the prime accused, Alam, said Khondoker Shaker Ahmed, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Kotwali Police Station.

The girl is now undergoing treatment at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.

Citing the case statement, the OC said the girl, whose parents are day labourers, went to the clinic around 4:30pm to meet manager Alam for obtaining information about training courses on nursing at the clinic.    

She was accompanied by two of her female classmates, also from the indigenous community. 

Alam at one stage sent her classmates to look around the hospital and took the girl inside a room. He then locked the door from inside and made sexual advances to her. 

At one point, the girl started crying out for help as Alam tried to rape her. Hearing her cry, her classmates gathered outside the room and they also started screaming.

When clinic staff and others came to her rescue, Alam opened the door and fled the scene.

Once informed, clinic owner Mujibur also arrived at the scene. But, instead of taking action against Alam, Mujibur tried to protect him by playing down his crime, alleged the victim in the case statement.

Police later arrived at the hospital and arrested Mujibur.

The girl’s mother said her daughter, eldest among her three children, was trying to provide for their impoverished family by getting in nursing profession.