The video clip of a rape victim in Kushtia, being harassed publicly by arbitrators in the name of settling the issue, has gone viral.
The video of the mentally-challenged teenager triggered public outcry across the country.
Although six days have elapsed since the arbitration, no action has been taken yet against the arbitrators, reports UNB.
In the video clips, it was seen that the girl and her mother-- who was abandoned by her husband-- were made to stand together at the arbitration at Thanarpar on July 1.
Later, the arbitrators asked the girl open questions about the rape incident in front of several hundred locals from different ages and settled the issue slapping the accused several times.
They arbitrators also asked the victim’s mother not to file any case over the incident.
In the face of widespread criticisms over the incident, police recorded a rape case on July 3. However, the law enforcers did not mention anything regarding the arbitration.
Locals said the accused --a class nine student-- took the girl, aged around 13, to a nearby jute field and raped her on June 27. Later locals rescued the girl and sent her home.
As the news spread, senior citizens of the area called an arbitration meeting on July 1 to settle the issue.
At the meeting, the arbitrators wanted to know in details from the 13-year-old about the sexual assault on her. They asked some objectionable questions to her in front of several hundred locals.
Later, the victim’s family went to a relative’s residence at nearby village fearing further reprisal.
After the video footage went viral, police brought the family back to their home and recorded a rape case.
Khoksa police station Sub-Inspector Prashanta Kumar Saha, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, said police arrested the accused and sent him to a safe custody as he is a teenager.
Khoksa municipality Councillor Imran Hossain was also present at the arbitration presided over by local Jubo League leader Al Amin Bakul.
Contacted, Imran said he went to the arbitration as the local councillor but did not take part in it. “The victim’s brother and others joined the arbitration.”
Bakul admitted that the arbitration was held in broad daylight in front of several hundred people.
He, however, said he went to the arbitration to save victim’s cousin from being beaten.
Meanwhile, the mother of the rape accused claimed that her son is innocent.
She said the victim was rescued when her son was talking to her in the field. “No incident of rape took place.”