Case over forced prostitution: HC hands over 5 accused to police
The High Court (HC) has handed over five people to the police, including four hotel owners, who had sought anticipatory bail in a case over forced prostitution in Rajshahi's Boalia area.
After the bail hearing on Tuesday (7 November), the HC bench of Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman and Justice Md Bashir Ullah called the on-duty police of the Supreme Court to take the accused into custody.
The accused are Padma Residential Hotel manager Md Ritu, and the hotel owners Md Abul Kalam Azad, Md Shafiqul Islam, Md Afzal Hossain and Md Israfil.
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Addressing the hotel owners, the court said they were forcing people into prostitution at their hotel in hopes of earning more money illegally.
"Forced prostitution is a heinous crime. There is no chance of bail for the accused."
Lawyer Md Masud Parvez represented the accused in court while Deputy Attorney General KM Masood Rumi stood for the state.
Speaking to reporters, Masud Parvez said the court denied bail to the five men seeking anticipatory bail and handed them over to the Boalia police station.
Rajshahi's Detective Branch (DB) Deputy Inspector (SI) Md Mizanur Rahman filed the case against 13 people at the Boalia police station on 17 October under the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act.
According to the case statement, the main accused Md Naimul Islam Naeem called the victim for a meet-up at the Bhuban Mohan Park on 16 October.
Later, he took her to a room in Padma Residential Hotel and forced himself on her. When she refused to engage, he wouldn't let her leave. At some point, Naeem went to the restroom and the victim managed to escape.
On her way home, she met with the DB police and told them what happened.
After the initial report was filed, DB official Md Mizanur Rahman Sarkar told the media that the hotel was raided upon informing the higher authorities.
Naeem along with seven other hotel staff were arrested in the raid.
In the meantime, the five accused hotel authorities fled the scene and later applied to court seeking anticipatory bail.
