Law enforcement agencies have arrested a number of people, including a teenager, in several districts in separate rape cases.
While the crimes were committed over the past few days, the arrests were made between Sunday and yesterday, in Pabna, Kushtia, Jhalakathi and Jessore.
In Pabna, a four-year-old child was reportedly raped by a teenage boy in Bhangura upazila on Sunday.
Police arrested the 15-year-old suspect yesterday after the child's father filed a case at Bhangura police station on Sunday night, confirmed the station’s OC Masud Rana.
According to case details, on Sunday afternoon, the accused took the child to a nearby orchard and raped her. When the child screamed out in pain, the boy tried to escape but was caught by the locals and handed over to police.
The child was rushed to Bhangura Upazila Health Complex afterwards for treatment.
The health complex’s Medical Officer Dr Halima Khanam said: "The victim child was given first aid and sent to Pabna General Hospital for further medical tests."
OC Masud said the suspect was produced before a court yesterday and later sent to jail.
In Kushtia, police on Sunday arrested a village police (choukidar) over the alleged rapes of a widow and her sixth grader daughter in Khoksa upazila.
However, the victim woman alleged that police only recorded the case over the rape of her daughter. The child was raped by Mahabul Alam Tikka, brother of No 1 Khoksa union’s village police member Muktar Hossain.
The widow has alleged that Muktar had been raping her for the past one year, and kept her silenced by threatening her. Taking advantage of the situation, Moktar’s brother Mahabul raped the daughter several times as of last week.
After learning about the incident, the mother on Sunday lodged a complaint with the upazila nirbahi officer who in turn sent her and her daughter to the police station. Police later summoned Mukta, and kept him in custody.
After much persuasion, the family claimed, police recorded a case filed by the woman’s brother-in-law yesterday evening over the rape of the child, not the widow.
Khoksa police OC ABM Mehedi Masud said the case was lodged against Muktar and Mahabul. “Muktar has already been shown arrested. We are looking for his brother.”
In Jhalakathi, police yesterday arrested a primary school teacher in a case filed over alleged sexual harassment of a third grader of his school in Kathalia upazila.
The suspect, Md Zakir Hossain of Bara Kathalia Primary School, was arrested after the girl's mother filed the case at Kathalia police station, said the station’s OC Md Enamul Hoque.
According to case details, during class, Zakir had inappropriately touched the child for 13 days. Zakir denied the allegations.
In Jessore, police on Sunday arrested a man in a case filed over alleged sexual assault of a seven-year-old in Barandipara Boubazar area of Sadar upazila.
According to case details, suspect Maruf Hossain Sohel, 25, sexually assaulted the child on September 23 after finding her alone in the neighbourhood. He again tried to lure the child on September 25, but filed.
After the child informed her parents, her father confronted Maruf, which led to a heated argument. Afterwards, locals caught Maruf and handed him over to police.
The girl's father filed the case at Kotwali police station on Sunday night, said the station’s OC Md Moniruzzaman. He added that Maruf was produced before a court yesterday and later sent to jail.