Doctors were unable to find traces of semen on the two university students who were raped on March 28, at Raintree Hotel in Dhaka.
The two students medical tests came back on Thursday, who were tested for traces of DNA and semen and also mostly likely the two finger test—an unscientific vestige from the British era that is being challenged at the High Court; a month after the rape had happened.
Bangladesh does not have rape kits that has a comprehensive collection of tests including a sexual assault kit, sexual assault forensic evidence kit, sexual assault evidence collection kit, sexual offense evidence collection kit and a physical evidence recovery kit.
Chief of Dhaka Medical College Forensic Medicine Department Dr Shohel Mahmud said: “It was difficult to find any forensic evidence as it was more than a month after the incident had happened.”
Dr Shohel declined to comment on whether the university students had been raped and said the report was handed over to police.
Speaking to reporters he said: “Because the students came to us 40 days later, we were unable to find marks on their bodies or other physical signs of rape.”
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“We formed a five-member medical board,” Dr Mahmud said, again stressing that they found no evidence of rape because of the delay.
The report has been handed over to the police who are now looking over the details, said DMP's Women Support & Investigation Division Additional Deputy Commissioner Asma Siddika Mili.
When asked if there is any relevance to this report, a police official said this is part of the legal procedure mandated by the law in order to have a fair case.
The two rape survivors filed a case with Banani police on May 6 saying they were raped at Raintree hotel on the night of March 28 by Shafat Ahmed, Shadman Sakif, Nayem Ashraf, Shafat’s driver Billal Hossain and his bodyguard Rahmat Ali. Shafat's father is one of the owners of Apan Jewellers.
Police registered the case after a 48-hour delay. The plaintiffs said their rapists had repeatedly threatened them and pressured them to withdraw the case.
Police have verified authenticity of the rape allegations and the accused have confessed to their crimes.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
