Rape of 2 Indigenous Girls in Khagrachhari
24-hour ultimatum to arrest culprits
Our Correspondent, Khagrachhari

Indigenous community organisations of Khagrachhari yesterday gave a 24-hour ultimatum to the administration and law enforcing agencies to arrest the two Bengali settlers who raped two native girls at Manikchhari upazila on Monday.

United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF), Bangladesh Marma Aaikkah Parishad (BMAP) and Bangladesh Marma Students Council (BMSC) separately held protest rallies and brought out processions in the district yesterday demanding arrest of the culprits and exemplary punishment for them. Demanding compensations for the victims, they also threatened to go on tougher movements if their demands were not met within 24 hours.

The rape victims are from Rajpara village of Manikchhari upazila in the district.

A case was lodged in this connection on Tuesday with Manikchhari Police Station accusing Mohammad Khorshed Alam, 26, son of Abdul Matin and Mohammad Jahangir Alam, 25, son of Master Farid of Rajpara village.

Samari Chakma, the district UPDF coordinator, claimed the accused were able to flee from their homes due to the negligence of the law enforcers.

A rape victim told journalists that Jahangir invited them to Jahangir's birthday party around noon on December 18. As they went there, they found no other guests, only Jahangir and Khorshed. The two men shut the door and asked them to have sexual intercourse with them. Being refused, the two men raped them and left them there after tying them up.

The ravishers later returned and set the girls free threatening them with death if they told anyone about the incident.

Sub-inspector of Manikchhari Police Station Sanjit Das said they are trying their best to arrest the accused.

Meanwhile, magistrate Ahmad Kabir said, "I have taken the victims' statements and requested the superintendent of police to take actions according to law."