Manhunt launched in Gazipur for relative accused of child rape

A ten-year-old schoolgirl has been hospitalised in Gazipur after allegedly being subjected to repeated sexual assaults and death threats by an older relative. The suspect, identified as forty-year-old Hanif Dewan Hanifa, a resident of Kaliganj Upazila and a father of three children, fled the area immediately after the crimes came to light. Law enforcement officials have launched an intensive manhunt across the district to locate and apprehend the fugitive.

The young victim, a third-grade pupil at a local kindergarten school, is currently receiving specialised care for severe physical and psychological trauma. The legal process began after the child’s father lodged a formal criminal complaint under the strict statutory provisions of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act at the Kaliganj Police Station, naming Hanifa as the sole perpetrator.

Exploitation of family errand leads to abuse

According to detailed accounts provided by the victim’s immediate family, the cycle of abuse initially began under ordinary household circumstances. The victim’s mother earns a livelihood through tailoring and dressmaking within their village. A few weeks ago, she completed a batch of clothing items for Hanifa’s wife, Naznin Akhter. Seeking to deliver the finished garments, the mother instructed her young daughter to carry them across to the suspect’s nearby residence.

Investigators revealed that Hanifa, who is a cousin to the victim’s father, was entirely alone when the child arrived. Taking advantage of the empty house, he forced the ten-year-old into his bedroom. He subsequently executed the assault, explicitly threatening to murder the young girl if she disclosed the incident to anyone. To further ensure her silence, the suspect handed the traumatised child a small amount of money before expelling her from the house.

The predatory behaviour did not end there. The family confirmed that roughly four days prior to the disclosure, Hanifa intercepted the child using an identical pattern of intimidation, subjecting her to a second assault under renewed threats to her life.

Medical admission and ongoing police hunt

The child kept the harrowing ordeal secret out of absolute terror until her physical health began to fail significantly. Alarmed by her daughter’s rapidly deteriorating condition and changed behaviour, the mother initiated a gentle but persistent interrogation on the night of 6 July. Breaking down under questioning, the third-grade pupil revealed the full extent of the assaults perpetrated by her uncle.

The family took immediate action the following morning, 7 July, transporting the weak child to the Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital in Gazipur, where she was admitted into an emergency ward. Medical professionals at the facility are administering targeted physical therapies whilst gathering required forensic evidence for the upcoming prosecution.

Enforcement Priority: Detectives have set up watchposts around regional transport lines to block the suspect’s potential escape paths beyond Gazipur.

The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kaliganj Police Station, Zakir Hossain, verified that a regular rape case has been formally registered against the accused. “We are treating this severe violation with the utmost urgency,” Officer-in-Charge Hossain stated. “A dedicated team is currently conducting continuous raids across suspected hideouts, and we are working closely with regional intelligence networks to ensure the suspect is brought into custody without delay.”

Local community leaders have expressed deep shock over the incident, calling for heightened vigilance to protect children in rural neighbourhoods. Legal experts note that cases involving close relatives often face unique social pressures, making swift police action and comprehensive victim support frameworks vital to ensuring justice is served.