A primary school assistant teacher has initiated serious legal proceedings against Rabiul Islam, chairman of the Rasulpur Union Parishad in Gaibandha’s Sadullapur upazila, accusing him of rape, marriage fraud, and financial extortion. The case also names an associate of the chairman, Salehin Akand, as an accused party.
AKM Habibur Rahman, the officer-in-charge of Sadullapur police station, confirmed the formal registration of the legal case on Wednesday evening. Authorities have launched targeted operations to apprehend the suspects, while medical examination procedures for the complainant are currently underway.
According to the details outlined in the police complaint, the association between the two began when Chairman Islam assumed the role of president of the school managing committee. Over time, their professional dynamic shifted into a close personal relationship. The plaintiff states that the local leader exploited this dynamic by promising marriage, subsequently engaging in multiple instances of physical intimacy under false pretences. When she pressed him to formalise the union, the chairman allegedly began evading the commitment through various pretexts.
The allegations extend beyond broken promises into systematic harassment and extortion. The complaint alleges that Salehin Akand, an associate of the chairman, secretly captured photographs of the teacher and threatened to distribute manipulated versions publicly, effectively using blackmail to keep her under pressure. Furthermore, the accused allegedly coerced the victim into signing blank non-judicial stamp paper worth three hundred takas. The chairman also reportedly extracted three hundred thousand takas under the guise of covering marriage expenses, funds which the teacher secured by taking out a bank loan.
The complainant revealed that she took the difficult step of dissolving her previous marriage—from which she has two children—relying entirely on the chairman’s solemn promises. Realising she had been deceived, she initially sought help from local law enforcement. When the police station did not initially register her complaint, she approached the court on 16 August. Following a thorough hearing, the court directed the local police station to record the petition as a formal criminal case.
In response to the public emergence of these charges, Chairman Rabiul Islam convened a press conference to vehemently deny any wrongdoing. He proclaimed his innocence, dismissing the entire legal action as a malicious and motivated conspiracy designed to tarnish his public image.
Legal experts note that the filing of a criminal case does not constitute a proof of guilt. The ongoing police investigation will thoroughly examine the credibility of the accusations, evaluate the medical examination reports, review financial transaction records, and assess statements from all involved parties before determining further legal steps. Police teams remain active in their search for the accused as the investigation progresses.
