A serious criminal incident unfolded on the Dhaka–Tangail Highway, where a young woman was allegedly gang-raped while travelling alone on a moving bus. The Highway Police arrested the bus driver and two accomplices in Tangail on Thursday afternoon, following a swift response to the victim’s complaint. The arrests took place near the Kortia area of Tangail Sadar.
The victim, a resident of Mirpur in Dhaka, originally hails from Kushtia district. The three suspects have been identified as the bus driver Altaf, 25, and his two associates, Mohammad Sagor, 24, and Mohammad Rabbi, 21. Their respective places of residence are as follows:
| Name | Age | Role | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altaf | 25 | Bus driver | Norderai village, Dinajpur Sadar |
| Mohammad Sagor | 24 | Accomplice | Charhat village, Nagar Kanda, Faridpur |
| Mohammad Rabbi | 21 | Accomplice | Abdul Paga village, Habiganj Sadar |
According to Elenga Highway Police Station In-Charge Mohammad Sharif, the victim boarded a bus operated by Savar Transport around 11:45 pm on Wednesday from Radio Colony, Savar, heading towards Ashulia. Initially, two other passengers were also on board, but they disembarked after a short distance. It was at this point that the suspects allegedly took advantage of her being alone. The assault was reportedly filmed on a mobile phone.
Following the assault, the perpetrators allegedly drove the bus through the streets of Savar, Ashulia, and Chandra overnight. The victim was threatened with the social media release of the video if she resisted. Her mobile phone and earrings were reportedly confiscated during the incident.
The bus came to a halt around 12:15 pm on Thursday near the Kortia underpass on the Dhaka–Tangail Highway, where a Highway Police patrol approached the vehicle. The victim disclosed the assault to the officers, who immediately rescued her and arrested the three suspects. The bus was also seized by police.
Tangail Sadar Police Officer-in-Charge Rahul Amin confirmed to media outlets that preparations are underway for a formal case. The victim will act as the complainant, and the three arrested men will be named as defendants. Police have assured that a full investigation is ongoing, and that legal action will be taken promptly.
This case has raised concerns over passenger safety on highways and has sparked calls for stricter monitoring of public transport, highlighting the need for immediate law enforcement interventions to prevent similar incidents in the future.