A local BNP leader in Netrokona’s Kendua upazila has been expelled from all party positions and stripped of his primary membership following allegations that he repeatedly raped a schoolgirl after threatening to circulate footage of the alleged abuse on social media.
Rafiqul Islam Bhuiyan Bakul has been named the prime accused in a case filed over the allegations. Following the case, Kendua municipal BNP took organisational action against him, removing him from all party posts and cancelling his primary membership.
A notice issued on Wednesday night, 26 August, and signed by the president and general secretary of Kendua municipal BNP confirmed the decision. The notice cited alleged violations of party discipline and involvement in immoral activities as the grounds for the action.
According to police and the case statement, the girl, who is currently a Class 10 student, was allegedly subjected to sexual abuse on several occasions from November 2022 onwards. The allegations state that footage of the abuse was initially recorded and that she was subsequently threatened with having the material circulated on social media.
The case statement further alleges that the threats were used to force the girl into repeated sexual abuse. There are also allegations that other people were involved in abusing her.
The victim’s family has alleged that the prolonged abuse eventually left the girl pregnant. According to the family, she is currently around six months pregnant. The matter reportedly came to the family’s attention after footage involving the girl was circulated on social media.
Following the development, the girl’s father filed a case at Kendua Police Station late on Tuesday night, 25 August. The case was brought under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act and the Pornography Control Act.
Five people have been named in the case, with Bakul listed as the prime accused. Three to four additional people have also been accused without their identities being specified in the complaint.
Police launched an operation shortly after the case was filed. Abu Mia, named as the second accused, was arrested during the operation. He was later produced before a court and sent to jail on the court’s order.
The prime accused, Bakul, and the other accused individuals remain at large, according to police. Officers said efforts were continuing to locate and arrest them.
Mohammad Tariqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Kendua Police Station, said Abu Mia had been arrested soon after the case was lodged. Police were also conducting operations to apprehend the remaining accused, he said.
The allegations are now under investigation. Police said evidence would be examined and further legal action would be taken based on the findings of the investigation.
The case has also prompted an immediate political response, with the local BNP unit taking disciplinary action against its leader following the allegations. However, the accusations against Bakul and the other defendants have not yet been established in court. Their legal culpability will ultimately depend on the investigation and judicial proceedings.
