Police in Rangpur have arrested two young men over allegations that a seventh-grade schoolgirl was taken to a house, subjected to an attempted sexual assault and filmed without her consent before the recording was allegedly used to demand money from her family.
The accused have been identified as Salman, 21, and Swapno, 20. Both are reportedly students. They were arrested from their respective homes in Senpara and Kamarp para areas of Rangpur city on Tuesday afternoon following a complaint lodged by the girl’s father.
According to police, the incident took place on 2 September. The girl had allegedly been in a relationship with Salman. Using that relationship as a pretext, she was taken to Swapno’s house, where Salman allegedly attempted to sexually assault her. After the attempt, he allegedly recorded an intimate video of the girl without her consent and then made another attempt to assault her.
The complaint further alleges that Salman later sent the video to the girl’s mother through Instagram and demanded money. The alleged use of the recording to threaten the family added a blackmail dimension to the case.
After learning of the incident, the girl’s father filed a complaint at the Kotwali Metropolitan Police Station in Rangpur on Tuesday afternoon. Police subsequently conducted separate operations and arrested Salman from Senpara and Swapno from Kamarp para.
The two accused were later produced before the Rangpur Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court by the investigating officer. Their lawyers sought bail during the proceedings. The court, however, rejected the bail applications and ordered that both men be sent to jail.
AKM Nazmul Kader, officer-in-charge of Rangpur Metropolitan Kotwali Police Station, confirmed the arrests and said the student who was allegedly subjected to the incident had given a statement before the court under Section 22 of the relevant criminal procedure.
The case highlights the risks faced by minors when personal relationships are exploited for coercion and when intimate material is used as a means of intimidation. Digital platforms can make such threats particularly distressing for victims and their families, as recordings can potentially be copied or circulated rapidly once shared.
In cases involving minors, protecting the victim’s identity and preventing further dissemination of sensitive material are also significant considerations during the investigation and judicial process. The girl’s identity has therefore not been disclosed.
The allegations against the two arrested men will be subject to investigation and judicial proceedings. Their arrest and detention do not, by themselves, establish guilt, which will ultimately be determined through due legal process.
