Nature of crime : Rape of children.
Name of the victim: Ms. Mila Bakta (8)
Name of the father: Mr. Milon Bakta
Name of the mother: Ms. Mukta Bakta,
Religion of the victim: Hindu
Date of incident : 27.02.2014 at about 3.45 p.m.
Place of occurrence: Village-Mandra, P.O. Radhagonj, P.S. Kotalipara,
District-Gopalgonj.
Name of the perpetrator: Sohag Sheikh (20) son of Shekandar Ali Sheikh
@ Ciku Sheikh.
Name of the investigator: Foni Bhusan Halder – Activist of BDMW.
Fact in Brief:
A Minority children aged about 8 sexually assaulted by Sohag Sheikh (20) son of Shekandar Ali Sheikh of Kotalipara Upazila of Gopalgonj District on Thursday last (27.02.14). It is alleged in the first information report (FIR) that Sohag Sheikh with bad intention allured this teen aged school girl to swallow biscuits with bad intention to rape. Due to rape the victim girl became senseless and assaulted with full blood. She has been taken to nearest Health Complex at Gopalgonj and is now under treatment. It is also alleged that due to religious intolerance semen of perpetrator
was anointing over the face of the victim, thus humiliated the minority school children- said her father.
Local people caught hold of Sohag Sheikh but the influential people snatched away this perpetrator. But after fifteen days the perpetrator has been arrested by police it is reported.
Investigation:
Mr.Foni Bhusan Halder of BDMW visited the spot on 06.03.2014, talked with the father and mother of the victim girl- Mr.Milon Bakta and Ms.Mukta Bakta expressed how their children ( student of Class II of Mandra Government Primary School) was brutally raped by Sohag Sheikh and as a result of rape the victim became senseless and traumatized.
He also informed that semen of perpetrator was anointing over the face of the victim, thus humiliated the minority school children. Father of victim lodged first information report (F.I.R) being Kotalipara Police station case No.09 dated 28.02.2014 under section 9(1) of Women and Children Repression Act, 2000.
It is unfortunate that destitute father and mother of the victim, due to repression, left their village and dwelling houses. Due to such threat and intimidation Mr.Milon Bakta lodged a general diary number 293/14 at Kotalipara P.S.intimating the O.C. about their security. But the powerful perpetrator and his associates continued threat to leave the country; police did not protect them from intimidation and threat.
Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) immediately communicated with Md.Abdul Latif- Officer in charge of Kotalipara Police station over his cell phone: 01713373575 who gave me to understand that Sohag Sheikh had been arrested. But the mode of speaking and behavior of O.C. is found very much negligent. He did not answer why destitute victim family has yet reached their home. From the beginning the O.C. was trying to suppress facts and due to our repeated requests the O.C.
most reluctantly arrested the accused.
Recommendations:-
BDMW is very much concerned about this incident sexual assault on a school baby and we demand-
1) Immediate protection of minority victim and her family members
so that they can stay at their home without any hindrances.
2) Local police should bring back the victim and her family
members who were threatened by powerful perpetrators to leave their
home.
3) The rights of women and children belonging to minorities
should be protected.
4) The minor victim should be given proper medical assistance to
recover from traumatized position. Special care by the state should be
ensured.
5) Compensation to the victim should be paid by the State.
6) The perpetrator should be brought to book as per law making
scope to render the criminal to suffer deterrent punishment.
by Adv.Rabindra Ghosh
Founder President-Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) 12-K.M. Das Lane, Tikatully- Wari P.S.,Dhaka, Bangladesh.
www.bdmw.org/bd.
Media/News /picture/ copies of FIR and other documents attached.
