Two other young girls were raped at Banani's now infamous Raintree hotel on March 28, the same night when two university students were violated there, it has emerged.
Nayem Ashraf, one of the Banani rape case accused, told investigators that the girls were taken to the hotel around the same time, according to a police source familiar with the matter.
The two university students filed a rape case on May 6 with Banani police against Shafat Ahmed, Nayem, Shadman Sakif, Shafat’s driver Billal Hossain and his bodyguard Rahmat Ali.
Police's Detective Branch teams are collecting information about the two other, newly discovered victims who have not lodged complaints against the rapists, the source said.
Officials with knowledge of the investigation said none of the Raintree hotel staff intervened, even after hearing one of the girls plead for help, as the rapists were well acquainted with them.
The victim cried through the night and begged Nayeem to spare her in vain. Subsequently, the victims were threatened and told to keep silent about the ordeal.
The hotel authorities have repeatedly claimed that they were unaware of the rape incident.
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A police officer, asking to remain anonymous, told the Bangla Tribune that investigators had located the new victims and were collecting information from them through various sources.
“They are mentally devastated and have isolated themselves, fearing for their lives and dignity. If necessary, we will question them at the DB office,” the officer said, adding that female officers of police's Victim Support Centre were handling the matter.
Plaintiffs of the Banani rape case said the rapists had repeatedly threatened and pressured them to withdraw the case.
Police have claimed that the accused had already confessed to their crimes.
Identities and photos of the university students were revealed by several Facebook pages recently. After the plaintiffs decided to file an ICT case over the leaked pictures, police said they would look into the matter.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Masudur Rahman said they were scrutinising information Nayeem had given during interrogation.
Investigators said rape accused Shafat's driver Billal had confessed before a Dhaka court on Sunday. He told the court about the rape incident, recording a video on a phone and about threatening the victims.
Billal, however, denied recording the rape incident itself, instead claiming he taped the consumption of Yaba – a contraband but popular party drug.
The driver added that he had overheard conversations and assumed that the victims were being coerced to keep silent or offered money, as they sometimes were, to reach an understanding with the rapists, investigators said.