Woman claims she was raped by Dhaka socialite at Banani hotel

Police on Monday said a woman has lodged a case on December 13 against her boyfriend on charges of raping her at a Bannai hotel three weeks ago, almost nine months after the alleged rape of two women at Raintree Hotel in the same neighbourhood. According to the case statement, the 32-year-old woman named Dhaka socialite Kushan Omar Sufi, 38, as the perpetrator, confirms Banani police Inspector (investigation) Abdul Matin. In her statement, the woman wrote that Sufi raped her on November 20 midnight after assaulting her at room No 805 of Hotel Sweet Dream, located at 60, Kemal Atatürk Avenue. The 32-year-old woman also said she was in a relationship with Sufi, who she alleged had tricked her into staying at the hotel with the promise to marry her. The inspector said Banani police had recorded her statement on the same night after a patrol team rescued her from the hotel upon receiving her verbal complaint over phone. Police also detained Sufi from the hotel. Later that night, Sufi was released upon written and signed commitment from his family members that he will marry the woman the very next day, to avoid a sexual assault case. However, the woman wrote in the case statement that she has initiated the case because not only had Sufi and his family members violated the written commitment, but they have also been threatening her with death since then. A general diary was filed with Cantonment police station in this connection. Sufi allegedly has also been trying to leave the country since the incident, the woman told Banani police. No one has been arrested in this connection so far, confirms Inspector Matin. No comment from Sufi or his family was available immediately. In the Raintree hotel rape case, the police arrested Shafat Ahmed, son of an owner of Apan Jewellers, and four others. The alleged victims, two university students, said they were violated at the hotel after responding to the invite of a birthday party thrown by Shafat on March 28.The article was first published on Bangla Tribune