In the Durgapur area of Rajshahi, two people were detained by the locals and tied to a mango tree on the accusation of an extramarital affair.
They were tied to the tree from noon until evening.
During this time, the village police and local residents were on guard. On Wednesday, in the evening, they were untied from the tree and taken to the police station.
However, there were discrepancies in the statements of the two detainees. The incident occurred at around 12:30pm, on Wednesday in Nandigram, under the Naopara Union of the Upazila. Meanwhile, the locals reported that, although they were tied up, they were not physically beaten.
A local resident named Atikur Rahman mentioned that the young man’s name was Ahsan Habib. They both lived in the same area.
On Wednesday, around 12:30pm, Atikur was returning home from a field when he heard sounds coming from Ahsan Habib’s house. Upon opening the window, he saw them in an intimate position. With the help of other locals, they detained the couple inside the house.
Atik said that Ahsan Habib was known in the area as a troublemaker. There had been several incidents in the past involving him and women, which had been settled by local verdicts.
The detained man, Ahsan Habib, claimed that some locals had forcibly detained him and that he had been framed.
On the other hand, the woman involved said that she had been returning home from a field when Ahsan offered her Tk2000 in exchange for engaging in improper conduct. After she accepted his invitation and entered the house, they were caught by the locals.
At 5pm, village police officer Saiful Islam was guarding the detained couple. He said that, following the chairman's instructions, he was assigned to monitor the situation. He mentioned that if the chairman and the village elders arrived, the matter could be resolved locally.
Regarding the incident, Abu Sayeed, a local elder,said: “I run a business in a nearby market, where I have a shop. I couldn’t leave to attend the incident right away because I was busy. The locals kept calling me, but I couldn't leave my shop. I told them to let the law take its course. Despite this, they didn't listen. Now, it’s around 6pm, and I am closing my shop to go to the scene.”
Chairman Azad Ali Sardar of Naopara Union said: "After hearing the news, I sent village police to the location. I didn’t go there myself because I have no authority to judge or resolve cases of sexual assault. I advised them to contact the police."
The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Durgapur Police Station, Durul Huda, said: “I’ve heard about the incident. The locals have informed me that the couple intends to marry. I haven’t received any complaints. Since they wish to marry, there’s nothing for us to do. When asked about the couple being tied to the mango tree, the OC replied that he wasn’t aware of that detail. However, he emphasized that they should not have been tied up and promised to investigate and take appropriate action.”
