Dentist arrested for allegedly using fake profiles to harass former female classmates

Police have arrested a dental surgeon for allegedly creating fake social media accounts to defame and harass several female doctors by using their names and photos to circulate obscene messages and doctored images.

The suspect, Fayzur Rahman Rupok, a dentist and former student of Marks Medical College in Mirpur, was arrested last Tuesday after a case was filed under the Pornography Control Act, 2012. The case, lodged at Mirpur Police Station on 16 September, was later transferred to the Detective Branch's Cyber Crime Division.

"The case was handed over from Mirpur Police Station to DB," said Sub Inspector Morshedur Rahman of the Cyber Crime Division. "We have arrested one suspect and obtained significant information, but cannot disclose details at this stage."

Investigators and victims said at least seven female doctors—mostly former classmates of the accused — were targeted in a similar pattern of abuse. Fake Facebook and Instagram profiles were created using their photos, from which sexually suggestive messages and, in some cases, manipulated videos were sent to acquaintances and colleagues.

One of the victims, now working at Dhaka Dental College, first discovered the harassment when her husband received a late-night call on 8 September. A friend had received obscene messages and doctored images appearing to come from her account.

"The fake accounts used my profile photo and sent messages implying I was unhappy in my marriage or willing to meet for money," she said. "Even my husband's friends called to ask what was wrong. I've been in trauma since."

She said she is now pregnant and under medical rest. "It's hard to describe the humiliation," she added. "I've received indecent calls from strangers, which means the images spread beyond my social circle."

Another victim said photos taken during a college programme had been edited and shared indecently. "I couldn't tell my parents — I was terrified of how they might react," she said.

Several doctors said Fayzur had previously faced similar allegations. "In 2022, he tried to frame a classmate using private photos but got away after a written apology," one victim said. "We didn't think he would do it again."

Another said the harassment escalated after she rejected his advances. "In 2023, he proposed to me. I said no. Later, he began harassing my partner online, pretending to be me. Even after my marriage, it didn't stop."

One victim described being ridiculed by senior colleagues who believed she had chatted with them online. "Some believed me when I said it wasn't me. Others didn't," she said. "It was humiliating."

Police confirmed that forensic analysis traced several fake accounts and communication logs to the suspect's devices. The investigation is still underway.

Cybercrime specialists say Bangladesh's rapid digital expansion has far outpaced both awareness and enforcement. With manipulated photos, fake profiles, and encrypted messaging platforms becoming easy tools of abuse, personal reputations can now be destroyed in hours—often beyond recovery.

Despite existing laws like the Pornography Control Act, 2012 and the Cyber Protection Ordinance, 2025, experts say most victims face an uphill battle marked by stigma, slow investigations, and lasting psychological scars. For many, justice comes late—if at all—while the internet remembers everything.