Uproar as rape of woman in Bangladesh is shared online

A Hindu woman’s gang-rape in central Bangladesh, which was filmed and widely shared online, has sparked nationwide protests and renewed concerns over systemic violence against minorities and women in the south Asian nation.

- NAMITA SINGH

A local politician, Fazor Ali, is accused of breaking in and sexually assaulting the 21-year-old victim as she was visiting her paternal home in Muradnagar in Cumilla district, multiple media outlets reported, quoting the police.

Mr Ali, named by the police as the main accused, is reported to be affiliated with the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). He was allegedly beaten by locals before being taken to a hospital. He later fled. Police said he sustained injuries that prevented him from appearing in court on Sunday, BBC reported.

BNP’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called for “exemplary punitive action” against all those involved. Four others have also been arrested - one for participating in the assault and three for filming and circulating the video, police said.

The viral footage, described by rights groups as “a second assault”, triggered widespread outrage across Bangladesh over the weekend. Demonstrators took to the streets in cities including the capital, Dhaka, where students from the Dhaka University and its minority dormitory, Jagannath Hall, marched in solidarity with the survivor.

A High Court bench has since ordered the removal of the video from all online platforms and directed authorities to ensure the woman’s security and provide immediate medical treatment, reported ThePrint.

Bangladeshi women protest against rape in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in August 2024