RMG worker, 11-year-old girl raped

Three people were arrested on charges of rape in Chattogram and Savar yesterday.

In Chattogram, Md Shahadat Hossain Raju, 30, and his friend Md Mohabbat Ali, 25, were arrested on charge of raping a 21-year-old garment worker.

The victim lived alone in CEPZ area, our Chattogram correspondent reported.

Raju met the victim through relatives and had developed a friendship with her over the last two months. He had told her that he had connections with police high-ups and promised her that he would arrange a job as a police constable for her, said Arnab Barua, sub-inspector (SI) of Double Mooring Police Station.

  Quoting the victim, SI Barua said, around a month ago Raju had told the girl that he wanted to marry her and told her to come to Choumohoni area on July 4 to get married. The girl was married earlier but was separated from her husband due to marital issues.

On July 4, Raju took her to a hotel in the town and raped her multiple times over the next three days. On July 7, Raju’s friend Mohabbat took the girl to a house in Jharna Para area, where he too attempted to rape her, SI Barua said.

Mohabbat fled the area when the victim began screaming. The girl then informed the houseowner, who informed the police immediately.

Police rushed to the spot and rescued the girl. A case was filed against Raju and Mohabbat, and police yesterday arrested them.

During primary interrogation, Raju and Mohabbat both confessed to their crime, said Ashikur Rahman, assistant commissioner (AC) of Double Mooring Zone, Chattogram Metropolitan Police.

Meanwhile in Savar, a rickshaw-puller was arrested early yesterday on charge of raping a 11-year-old mentally-challenged girl.

The arrestee, Monowar Mondal, 45, from Chuadanga, used to live in a rented house at Jirabo area, our Savar correspondent reported.

Police said the victim and the accused were neighbours.

On Sunday morning, while the girl was home alone, Monowar went to her home and raped her.

Hearing the girl screaming, other neighbours rushed there and rescued her. Monowar had managed to flee the scene by then, said Javed Masud, inspector (investigation) of Ashulia Police Station.

The victim’s father filed a case the next day and police arrested the accused yesterday.