A teenage girl in Bauphal, Patuakhali, has allegedly been subjected to severe physical abuse by her grandfather and paternal cousin after she went to meet her divorced mother. A 15-second video purportedly showing the incident has since circulated widely on social media, prompting public concern and calls for action against those responsible.
The video began spreading on social media on Wednesday (9 September), bringing the alleged assault into public attention. However, it has not yet been established when or where the footage was recorded. Police said they were investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to people familiar with the matter, the girl is from Nazirpur Union in Bauphal. Her father works at a shop in Dhaka. The girl’s parents had been married for around 15 years before their marriage ended in divorce approximately two months ago.
Following the separation, the girl’s mother and father have been living apart. Recently, the teenager reportedly went to a restaurant in Bauphal municipal town to meet her mother. After members of the family learnt that she had met her mother, she was allegedly confronted and assaulted.
Her grandfather, identified as Abdul Hakim, and her paternal cousin, Salam, have been accused of carrying out the assault.
Footage circulated on social media appears to show the girl surrounded by people and being physically beaten. The short video has attracted widespread attention, although the footage alone does not establish the full circumstances leading up to the incident or what happened before and after it was recorded.
The circulation of the video has generated anger among local residents and social media users. Many have called for the accused to be arrested promptly and for appropriate punishment if the allegations are established through investigation.
The accused men were reportedly in hiding, and their statements could not be obtained. As a result, their response to the allegations remains unavailable.
The incident has also raised concerns about the treatment of children and teenagers amid family disputes following a marital separation. While a parent’s divorce can change family arrangements, disputes within a family should not result in violence against a child. Any allegations of assault require proper investigation, with the circumstances and responsibilities of those involved established through due legal process.
Bauphal police said they had taken notice of the video. Officer-in-charge Sirajul Islam said the footage had been seen and that an investigation was under way. He said the circumstances of the incident would be clarified soon.
Investigators are expected to examine the authenticity and circumstances of the video, establish when and where the alleged assault occurred, and determine the roles of those involved. Any further action will depend on the findings of the investigation and the applicable legal process.
