A group of village arbitrators, led by an UP chairman fined the victim of a rape Tk1 lakh in Baliadanga of Tebaria union in Natore Sadar upazila on Tuesday evening.
The victim's father was also fined Tk 1,000 for coming late to the arbitration.
The arbitrators, Omar Ali Pradhan, the chairman of Tebaria Union Parishad, Hakim, Sobhan, Ruhul Amin and Dulal Hossain fined the victim and her father.
Apart from UP chairman, Pradhan is also a member of the executive committee of the Natore district Awami League and the president of the Tebaria Union Awami League.
However, after learning of the incident, police raided the village where the arbitration was taking place and arrested two -- Ruhul Amin and Sobhan Ali.
The two were released on Wednesday evening, as no case was filed in this regard.
Regarding the matter, Jahangir Alam, officer-in-charge of Natore Sadar Police Station, said no one has the authority to arbitrate rape cases, it is against the law. "The arbitrators did not know that a rape case was filed."
On May 30, the woman filed a case against one Amar Kumar, 33, who was later landed in jail following a court order, according to police.
Later, Local arbitrators, led by the chairman fined the victim and her father.
Contacted, Omar Ali Pradhan claimed the woman's husband, who is currently living in Dubai, contacted him to sort out the matter, promising to give Tk 1 lakh and 6000 bricks to repair the toilet of a local Madrasa .’’He did not inform us that a case was filed,” he said.
