Teenage Girl Alleges Rape Attempt Over Family Card Promise

A 15-year-old girl has allegedly been subjected to an attempted rape after a local Union Parishad member entered her home on the pretext of helping her family obtain a government family card in Thakurgaon.

The girl’s father filed a case with Thakurgaon Sadar Police Station on Tuesday, 28 July, accusing the elected Union Parishad member of attempting to sexually assault his daughter. Police said the case was filed under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, and efforts were under way to arrest the accused.

The incident reportedly took place on Monday afternoon in Chilarang village, under Ward No. 1 of Chilarang Union in Thakurgaon Sadar Upazila. The accused has been identified as 56-year-old Md Alauddin, the serving member representing Ward No. 1 of the Union Parishad.

According to the complaint, the girl’s father works as a day labourer. On the morning of the alleged incident, he travelled to Dinajpur with his elder daughter, who was reportedly unwell, to seek medical treatment. The girl’s mother also left the house for work that morning, leaving the 15-year-old alone at home.

At around 1.30pm, Alauddin allegedly arrived at the family’s home and told the girl that he had come to help arrange a family card for them. He reportedly asked for a photocopy of her National Identity Card and sought information about other members of the household. After learning that no other family members were present, he allegedly entered the room and behaved inappropriately towards the girl before attempting to sexually assault her.

The girl reportedly tried to protect herself by hiding under a bed. When she found an opportunity, she managed to leave the room and began shouting for help. Hearing her cries, local residents reportedly rushed towards the house. The accused then allegedly fled the area.

After returning from Dinajpur, the girl’s father reportedly noticed scratches on her neck and found her physically unwell. He subsequently took her to the 250-bed General Hospital in Thakurgaon, where she was admitted for treatment.

The incident has caused concern among local residents, particularly because the allegation involves a public representative who is accused of allegedly using the promise of access to a family-related government benefit to gain entry to the home. Such allegations also raise concerns about the vulnerability of minors and the need for responsible conduct by elected local representatives when dealing with families seeking access to public services.

Following the incident, several respected members of the local community reportedly approached Alauddin to discuss the matter. According to the complaint, however, he allegedly refused to engage with them and instead issued threats.

Thakurgaon Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Shahjahan Ali confirmed that a case had been registered under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. He said police were working to arrest the accused.

The allegations remain subject to investigation, and the accused will have the opportunity to defend himself through the legal process. Police action and the outcome of the investigation will determine the facts and circumstances surrounding the alleged incident.