News No. 138/2011, July 16, 2011
A Mro girl was subjected to sexual assaults in Lama Upazila under Bandarban district on 5 July, reports Prothom Alo and Daily Purbokone today.
The two Bengali dailies, citing local residents, said, “Alamgir, a 20-year old Bengali settler youth from Dhekichara Rangazhiri Para village of Soroi Union attempted to rape a 13-year old Mro girl of the same area while she was grazing cows.”
Her father, Danroi Mro, told reporters that after the incident Alamgir’s father Nurunnobi filed a general diary (GD) with Lama police station alleging that his son had been abducted.
However, on Thursday, 14 July, at an arbitration meeting held at Lama police station in the presence of the elected public representatives of the area, the issue was settled for a Taka 13,000 and Alamgir was let off the hook.
Sukkur, another youth, was beaten up for refusing to testify at the meeting, the papers further said and added that, “At the meeting Nurunnobi said he would find out his son.”
Prothom Alo quoted Mohammad Ayub Faridul Alam, vice chairman of Lama Upazila Parishad, as saying that the issue was settled for Taka 13,000 after discussion with both the parties.
Quoting Julekha Begum, a local Union Council member, the Daily Purbokone said, “Torn clothes of the girl have been recovered from the place of occurrence at Dhekichara.”
After examining the evidences, local people said the girl might have been raped, added Purbokone.
Md. Hossain, Officer-in-charge of Lama police station, told journalists that he had not received any allegation of rape.