Locals ‘fine’ man Tk 5k for rape

A group of influential locals have fined a rape accused Tk 5,000 at a village arbitration in  Cumilla's Lalmai upazila in a bid to protect him from legal punishment.

Meanwhile, the victim's mother filed a case against the accused with Lalmai Police Station yesterday.

In the case, Abdul Motin, 65, a resident of the upazila's Gazaria Brahmanpara village, was charged with raping a nine-year-old girl.

The arbitration took place on July 11 at a local madrasa playground in the village, headed by Union Parishad member Jahangir Alam Mazumder, Mizanur Rahman, Firoz Ahmed Bhuiyan and Babul Mazumder.

After fining the rapist, the arbitrators threatened the victim family not to file a case in this regard, claimed the child's father, a rickshaw puller. Her mother works in a local biscuit factory.

As both her parents went to work that day, she was home alone at the time of the incident.

Motin took that opportunity and first raped her a few weeks ago. He also threatened to kill her if she disclosed the matter.

Again on July 6, he took her to a nearby sugarcane field and raped her.

After the second time, the girl shared the incident with her parents. Seeking justice, her family immediately rushed to UP member Jahangir, who arranged the arbitration.

Mohammad Ayub, officer-in-charge of the Lalmai Police Station, said police were trying to arrest the accused. 

Motin could not be contacted over phone despite several attempts.