Cricketer Tofael gets bail after surrendering in rape case

A Dhaka court today (8 February) granted bail to cricketer Tofael Ahmed Raihan in a case filed accusing him of raping a young woman after reportedly luring her with a promise of marriage at a hotel in the capital's Gulshan area.

Tofael, a pace-bowling all-rounder of the Bangladesh 'A' team, surrendered before the Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-8 today.

Following a hearing, Judge Md Abdul Moktadir granted him bail on a bond of Tk10,000 until the next scheduled date on 9 March.

SI Md Samiul Islam, investigation officer and Gulshan police recently filed a chargesheet stating Tofael raped the victim multiple times after getting acquainted with her on Facebook in January last year. Case documents show the accused allegedly took the woman to a Gulshan hotel on 31 January, identifying her as his wife, and raped her under the promise of marriage.

The victim filed the case on 1 August last year after Tofael refused to formalise their relationship.

Earlier, on 24 September last year, the High Court had granted him six weeks of anticipatory bail with an order to surrender before the trial court.

The victim alleged that she has faced continuous harassment and social humiliation since the incident. She stated that she sought help from Tofael's family and even submitted a written complaint to the BCB President, but did not receive any effective resolution. She further claimed that the accused has been harassing her in various ways since obtaining bail from the High Court.

The victim alleged facing continuous harassment and social humiliation, noting that seeking help from Tofael's family and filing a written complaint with the BCB President yielded no resolution. She further claimed accused has been harassing her since obtaining bail from the High Court.