Forced Marriage: Pabna OC suspended

Police Headquarters has suspended Obaidul Haque, officer-in-charge of Pabna Sadar Police Station, for his involvement in arranging marriage of a rape victim and accused.

Inspector General of Police issued the suspension order on Tuesday, said Rafikul Islam, superintendent of Pabna police.

Earlier, Obaidul was closed and attached to police line for his involvement in arranging the marriage while Sub-inspector Ekramul Huq was suspended for forcibly bringing the marriage registrar to the police station.

The OC arranged a marriage of a married woman, also mother of three, with one of the alleged rapists, Russel, at Pabna Sadar Police Station on September 5.

Though the victim was already married, the officer made her sign documents for divorcing her husband, her brother alleged earlier.

On September 9, the victim filed a case accusing five persons of confining her to a room and gang-raping her multiple times between August 29 and August 31.

After the allegations were reported in the media, the district police formed a three-member committee to probe the matter on the same day the case was filed.

Following an instruction of the cabinet, the Pabna Deputy Commissioner formed another three-member committee with Additional District Magistrate of Pabna.

Meanwhile, police arrested Russel and Shariful, joint secretaries of Dapunia Union Awami League, soon after the case was filed.

Rest of the accused -- Hossain Ali, Osman and Sanju -- were also arrested between September 9 and September 13.

They were all sent to jail via court, said police.