AGAIN a mother was violated by the criminals on Sunday evening in Subarnachar of Noakhali, which has already drew news headlines for gang-raping another mother just after the national polls ended for not casting vote in favour of the ruling party men. This time, the 48-year-old woman was gang-raped over campaigning for an upazila vice-chairman candidate. We have no words to condemn the heinous crime. Undoubtedly, impunity and unbridled political power have inspired the perpetrators to commit the crime. The crime against helpless women is the crime against humanity. When there are woman participations in all spheres of life, these culprits should face dire consequence.
News media reported that during the polling hours on Sunday, a group of supporters of Vice-Chairman candidate Farhad Hossain Chowdhury Bahar threatened the victim and her husband as they campaigned for his rival candidate Tajuddin Babar. Fearing an attack, the couple took shelter at a relative’s house in a nearby village after casting their votes. In the evening, the couple decided to go home, about five kilometres away from there, on a motorbike. As they travelled around half of the distance, 10-12 thugs intercepted them, beat them severely and at one stage, they took the victim to a banana orchard inside the fish farm of Ruhul Amin, the alleged mastermind behind the gang-rape of the mother of four, and violated her. Police arrested two people on Monday after the victim’s husband filed a case with the concerned police station.
According to Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), a total of 189 women and children were raped in the last three months. Of them, 15 were killed and three others committed suicide after being raped. The ASK also said 34 women became the victim of attempted rape during the same period.
We urge the authority concerned to arrest all the culprits involved in the crime without considering their political connection. Exemplary punishment is needed against the rapists to check such type of crimes in the future. Otherwise, the day is not too far way when the criminals will rule the society.
