Comilla rape case: Bangladesh erupts in protest after video of minority woman’s rape goes viral

Nationwide protests erupted in Bangladesh on Sunday following the circulation of a viral video showing the alleged rape of a woman from a minority community in Cumilla district, central Bangladesh, three days ago.

Authorities confirmed the arrest of the main accused along with several others in connection with the case.

Cumilla district police chief Nazir Ahmed Khan stated that the prime suspect was detained during a pre-dawn operation in Dhaka’s Sayedabad area. Four other individuals were taken into custody for posting the victim’s photo and identity on social media.

Students from Dhaka University held protest marches on campus, with residents of Jagannath Hall, home to many minority students organising separate processions demanding justice.

Secretary General of former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir demanded exemplary punitive action against the culprits.

The High Court, meanwhile, issued a directive asking authorities to immediately remove the video of the assault that went viral on social media on Saturday.

The two-judge bench also asked the authorities concerned to ensure security of the rape survivor and provide her necessary treatment.

Some media reports suggested the police action came only after the video went viral. According to a report, people in the neighbourhood initially released the culprit after a mass beating and took him to a hospital instead of handing him over to police. The suspect allegedly fled from the hospital.

The reports suggested the woman was visiting her paternal home at Culimma’s Muradnagar sub-district where the accused allegedly broke into the house at night.

Ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed, who has served as his mother’s advisor, took to X to express his outrage at the incident.

He blamed the Yunus administration for a rise in incidents of mob attacks, terrorism and rape in the last 11 months.

Bangladesh witnessed incidents of violence against members of minority communities following the fall of the Hasina-led Awami League government in August last year.

Hasina fled to India when her regime was toppled on August 5 last year, as a fallout of a violent street movement led by a platform called Students against Discrimination.

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, 85, took charge of the interim government three days later.

With inputs from agencies