UP member 'gang raped' in Narail; 1 held

Police have detained a man on charges of "gang-raping|" a 52-year-old female union parishad (UP) member in the Maijpara area of Narail.

The detainee was identified as Faruk Hossain, 60, of Daulatpur village.

Faruk was detained from Magura district around 11am on Saturday (28 December), said Sajedul Islam, officer in-charge (OC) of Narail Police Station.

According to police and the victim's family, on 24 December, Basana Mallick went to distribute TCB products to beneficiaries along with official work.

On her way home after work, Basana Mallick received a phone call from her 'extramarital lover,' Rajibul, who lived in the neighbouring Daulatpur village. She went there to collect the Tk10,000 he owed her.

However, once she arrived, Rajibul and his accomplice raped her. After returning home around 8pm, Basana began vomiting.

Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and the next day (25 December), she was taken to the 250-bed General Hospital in Jashore around noon, where she passed away on Thursday night.

It was learned that in a state of distress and fearing public humiliation, Basana consumed a poisonous substance. Her family, however, claimed that she was fed something poisonous.

In this regard, Basana Mallick's son, Rinku Mallick, said that Rajibul called his mother to a house in Daulatpur village, promising to pay the money he owed her. It was there that the rape incident occurred. He added, "I want the culprits to be brought to justice for my mother's death."

OC Sajedul Islam said, "It has been initially reported that Basana Mallick died from poisoning. However, we came to know that she was sexually assaulted in connection with an extramarital affair."

"We are thoroughly investigating the matter," he added.