NCP Convener Nahid travelling to Patuakhali to meet family of ‘gang rape’ victim

Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP) is travelling to Patukhali to meet the family of the college student who was allegedly gang raped in Patuakhali’s Dumki.

He left for Patuakhali on Thursday, said NCP Joint Member Secretary (Office) Saleh Uddin Sifat.

The student’s father died while participating in the July Uprising. She was allegedly returning home after praying at the grave of her father when “an organised group” abducted her from a deserted road, bdnews24.com reports.

They raped her after taking her into a garden, according to a complaint filed with the police station.

The victim filed the case herself, naming two suspects on Wednesday. Police have arrested one of them already.

Citing the case documents, the local chief of police said that the plaintiff was returning to her maternal grandparents’ house after praying at the grave of her father, who died in the mass uprising in July and August when the suspects began to follow her. They suddenly attacked her, gagging her mouth and forcibly taking her into a nearby garden. They took photos of the gang rape and threatened to spread them on social media. One of the suspects was identified as a student in 12th grade at Janata College and another as a tenth grader from a local school.

In a statement, the NCP said that Nahid left Dhaka at 7:00 am on Thursday. He is likely to meet the victim’s family in Patuakhali at 11:00 am. Later, he will meet the deputy commissioner and police superintendent to discuss the rape case and brief the media.

Nahid will also pray at the grave of a martyr killed in the July Uprising in Patuakhali’s Pangasia.

He is scheduled to attend several events with NCP leaders and activists in Patuakhali and Barishal during his visit.