Dhaka: A 40-year-old Hindu woman in Kaliganj, a sub-district of Jhenaidah in central Bangladesh, has reportedly been gang-raped by two men, who allegedly tied her to a tree, cut her hair, and circulated a video of the assault on social media.
According to local media reports, the woman told police that she bought three decimals of land with a two-storey house in Ward No. 7 of Kaliganj municipality for 2 million taka from Shahin and his brother around two and a half years ago. She said that after the purchase, Shahin began making indecent proposals and harassing her when she refused.
On January 3 evening, Shahin and his accomplice Hasan entered a widow’s home while she was hosting relatives. After sexually assaulting her, the two men attempted to extort 50,000 taka (roughly Rs 37,000) from the victim.
When she refused to pay, the men allegedly attacked her relatives and forced them to leave. According to the woman, they then tied her to a tree, cut off her hair, recorded the assault, and shared the video on social media. The widow was reportedly tortured and lost consciousness before being rescued by local residents and admitted to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital.
Dr Md Mostafizur Rahman, superintendent of the hospital, said the woman did not initially disclose the incident to doctors. A medical examination later confirmed that she had been subjected to abuse. Following the incident, the woman filed a complaint at Kaliganj Police Station, naming Shahin and Hasan. Jhenaidah Additional Superintendent of Police Billal Hossain said, “We have recorded the survivor’s complaint. After completing the investigation, the police will take the highest possible legal action.”
Violence Against Minorities
The attack on the woman occurred on the same day that a Hindu man, Khokon Chandra Das, died after being attacked and set on fire by a mob in Shariatpur district. Das had initially escaped by jumping into a pond, but later succumbed to his injuries.
Earlier incidents of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh include:
On December 24, Amrit Mondal, a Hindu youth, was allegedly lynched by a mob in Kalimohar Union. The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus condemned the killing but described Mondal as an extortionist and denied any communal motive.
On December 18, Dipu Chandra Das, 25, was allegedly lynched after being falsely accused of blasphemy; his body was hung from a tree and set on fire.
India has expressed concern over what it described as “unremitting hostility” against minorities in Bangladesh and stated that it is closely monitoring developments in the region. The Bangladesh government, meanwhile, has reiterated its commitment to protecting minority communities.
