Sylhet Swechasebak League leader removed from organisation for allegedly raping girl

A leader of Swechasebak League of Sylhet city unit was removed from his post on charges of raping a girl a few days back.

Debangshu Das Mithu, general secretary of Sylhet city unit of Awami League's voluntary organization Swechasebak League, confirmed the matter saying that the decision to remove the ward-11 president Abdus Salam from his post was taken after an emergency meeting of the organisation on Sunday.

He also said the executive body of the unit was declared dissolved in this regard.

The victim's mother filed a case under "Women and Children Repression and Prevention Act" naming two Swechasebak League leaders, including Salam and some unidentified individuals, with the city's Kotwali Police Station on Friday night.

The other accused is Abdul Manaf, 38, member of the city unit of Swechasebak League.

According to the case statement, the victim used to work for a bottle factory and live with her family in a city colony.

As her family went to their village home in Habiganj leaving her alone in the colony residence in January, one of the colony residents Rekha Begum made an introduction between the victim and the accused Salam.

Salam allured her by offering a good job while Rekha again took the girl to Salam at his city residence in Laldighi area on 7 January.

Salam kept the girl captive for 22 days at his residence and raped her continuously.

Upon the victim's family returning from the village, they didn't find her in the residence and other places.

As the family failed to find her, they were on move to file a general diary but Rekha barred them from doing so and took them to Salam who assured them of having rescued her.

After a few days, Salam informed the family that he rescued her from a London expatriate family but expressed reluctance to disclose the identity of the family.

When the victim's family insisted on knowing their identity, the Swechasebak League leader got furious and they had an altercation.

At one stage, the incident of rape got leaked while accused Salam assured the girl of marrying her and threatened them not to make the matter public.

After three days, Salam picked up the girl and sent her to Habiganj with the help of his cohort Abdul Manaf. A few people, including the duo, again raped the girl there.

Later on 26 March, one of the relatives of the victim rescued her from the clutches of the accused.

Till now, there are no arrests in the case.