A local politician in Bangladesh’s southern district of Patuakhali has been remanded in custody after being apprehended by residents for allegedly stalking and intimidating a young woman. The incident occurred in Dumki upazila, where locals restrained the suspect late on Monday evening before handing him over to law enforcement officers.
The accused, 60-year-old Aminul Islam, serves as the general secretary for a local union unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and holds office as an elected member of the local Union Parishad. According to police statements and details provided by the complainant’s family, Mr Islam had reportedly been subjecting the young woman to persistent harassment via mobile phone calls and making unwanted advances over a prolonged period.
The situation came to a head on Monday night when the politician allegedly telephoned the victim, instructing her to meet him under the pretext of allocating subsidised grain through the government’s Food-Friendly Programme. This social safety net initiative is designed to distribute subsidised rice to impoverished rural households. When the woman refused to comply with his demands, Mr Islam reportedly attempted to leverage his political position and local influence to pressure her into the meeting.
Faced with escalating pressure, the victim alerted her family and neighbours about the continuous harassment. Unaware that the household had been warned, Mr Islam arrived at the victim’s residential compound later that night and waited near the premises. Family members and local residents discovered him on the property, apprehended him, and secured him with chains to prevent an escape while they notified the authorities.
A dispatch team from the Dumki Police Station arrived shortly afterwards, took custody of the suspect, and transferred him to the police station. Dumki Police Station Officer-in-Charge, Selim Uddin, confirmed that officers responded to the public call and brought the suspect into official custody.
The victim subsequently filed a formal case against Mr Islam under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, which serves as the primary statutory framework in Bangladesh for addressing allegations of sexual harassment, violence, and intimidation. Following the registration of the criminal complaint, police formally produced the accused before a local court on Tuesday. The magistrate ordered that Mr Islam be remanded in judicial custody pending further legal proceedings.
The suspect could not immediately be reached for comment regarding the allegations. Local residents have expressed concern over the incident, calling for a thorough and impartial police investigation. Legal authorities noted that while the case progresses through the judicial system, the investigation will proceed strictly in accordance with statutory procedures to establish the facts.
