14-year-old girl raped in Cox’s Bazar
Tue Jan 7, 2025 12:28 AM
Torchlight procession held in protest
A 14-year-old girl has allegedly been gang-raped at Badarkhali union in Chakaria upazila, Cox’s Bazar.
According to the victim’s statement, she was abducted at knifepoint and raped by around 8 to 10 men near the Bodorkhali bridge, said Manjur Kader Bhuyan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Chakaria Police Station.
The incident occurred on Sunday around 10:00pm, when the girl, who lives in Moheshkhali upazila, was returning home from Banshkhali upazila, Chattogram.
She boarded a CNG-run autorickshaw from the Badarkahli Ferry Ghat area. However, the driver abandoned her midway near the Badarkhali bridge, saying the vehicle had some mechanical issues. As she was walking back towards the ferry ghat area, two men abducted her at knifepoint, the OC said, quoting the victim.
They were later joined by six others, who raped her until she lost consciousness.
The girl regained consciousness and made her way back to the ferry ghat, where locals assisted her and took her to Badarkhali General Hospital.
Local residents suspect known criminals are involved, the OC said.
Police later transferred the victim to the Chakaria Upazila Health Complex in the early hours of yesterday, and were able to collect some evidence, said M M Rakibur Raja, assistant superintendent of police (ASP) in the Chakaria circle.
However, the victim’s family kept insisting on returning home, and even though police tried to convince them to stay at the hospital overnight, the victim was taken home yesterday morning, claimed the ASP.
Meanwhile, locals accused the police of facilitating the destruction of evidence of rape by allowing the victim to return home before taking her to the one-stop crisis centre.
Efforts are underway to bring the victim to the one-stop crisis centre, the ASP added.
No case has been filed over the incident yet, said Chakaria Police OC.
TORCHLIGHT PROCESSION
Protesting the rape incident, leaders and activists of Chhatra Union, Jubo Union, and Udichi brought out a torchlight procession from central Shaheed Minar and marched through the main roads of Cox’s Bazar town before gathering at the old Shaheed Minar for a short protest rally.
Addressing the rally, Sourav Dev, general secretary of Udichi’s Cox’s Bazar district unit, expressed outrage at the incident, saying, “Women are not safe on the roads. How could a woman be subjected to gang rape by 8-10 individuals? We demand the harshest possible punishment for the rapists to prevent such horrific occurrences in the future.”
Echoing these sentiments, Shahidullah Shahid, president of Jubo Union’s district unit, issued a stern warning: “If the rapists are not brought to justice, the Chakaria OC will have to resign.”
