Dhaka, July 1: Massive protests erupted across Bangladesh on Sunday after a 21-year-old Hindu woman was allegedly raped by a local politician in Cumilla district, prompting widespread outrage and sparking renewed concerns over rising communal tensions in the country.
The main accused, Fazor Ali, 38, a member of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Khaleda Zia, was arrested in Dhaka’s Saydabad area early Sunday morning, police said. Four others have also been detained in connection with the case, including three individuals accused of filming and circulating a video of the victim on social media.
According to the case statement, the assault took place on the night of June 26 in Ramchandrapur Pachkitta village, where the survivor was staying at her father’s home with her children during the local Hindu festival of Hari Seva. Her husband is currently working in Dubai.
Police said Ali allegedly forced his way into the home around 10 p.m. after the woman refused to open the door and raped her. Locals reportedly confronted and beat the accused, but he managed to flee the scene. A formal complaint was filed the next day, and a case has been registered under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act.
The incident has sparked a wave of anger, particularly in the capital, where students from Dhaka University staged large-scale demonstrations, demanding swift and strict action. Protest videos circulating online show students chanting slogans and calling for justice.
“This is not just a crime against a woman; it’s a reflection of the growing impunity and rising communal violence in our society,” a student protester said during the demonstration.
Tensions have been mounting in Bangladesh’s minority Hindu community amid what rights groups describe as a surge in targeted violence following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. While communal relations in the country have long been sensitive, recent incidents have heightened fears among minority groups.
Police in Muradnagar have launched a probe, and authorities have vowed to bring those responsible to justice. The BNP has yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
