AL leader saves rapist in Tangail

Victim’s foster mother said: “Harun Maker, 50, a resident of Kamakkha village in the upazila, told us that he wanted to take our girl to doctor. On September 24 Harun took the girl saying that he was going to doctor’s chamber. But he took the girl to his house instead of going to doctor’s chamber and raped her.” After returning home, the girl told her mother about the incident. After that victim’s parents tried to take legal action against Harun but upazila AL President and Union Chairman Halimuzzaman and others stopped them and pressured to negotiate with the rapist by taking money, locals said wishing anonymity. On October 18, Halimuzzaman and others arranged an arbitration and fined the rapist Harun Tk40,000. Harun paid the fined money on November 5. When contacted, victim’s foster father, said: “We had to negotiate with the rapist as influential people pressured us to solve the problem locally.” Halimuzzaman ‍said: “We tried to solve the problem locally and fined Harun Maker.” Masumur Rahman, upazila nirbahi officer of Gopalpur, said: “We will take actions against the rapist and negotiators.”