A 40-year-old Hindu woman was allegedly gang-raped, tied to a tree and had her hair forcibly cut off by two men in Kaliganj, a sub-district of Jhenaidah in central Bangladesh, police said.
According to her complaint, the survivor had bought three decimals of land along with a two-storey house for 20 lakh taka from a man identified as Shahin and his brother about two-and-a-half years ago. Local media reported that following the purchase, Shahin allegedly began harassing the woman and making indecent advances, which she repeatedly rejected.
On Saturday evening, while two relatives from her village were visiting, Shahin and his associate Hasan allegedly entered her house and sexually assaulted her. The accused later demanded 50,000 taka from the woman. When she refused, they allegedly attacked her relatives and forced them to leave.
Police said the men then tied the woman to a tree, cut off her hair, recorded the act and circulated the video on social media. The survivor was reportedly tortured further and lost consciousness before being rescued by local residents and taken to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital.
Hospital superintendent Dr Md Mostafizur Rahman said the woman initially did not disclose details of the assault, which later emerged during medical examination. She subsequently lodged a complaint at Kaliganj Police Station, naming both accused.
Jhenaidah Additional Superintendent of Police Billal Hossain said the survivor’s statement has been recorded and assured strict legal action following investigation.
The incident comes amid a series of violent attacks on minorities in Bangladesh in recent weeks. India has expressed concern over what it described as continued hostility towards minorities, while the Bangladesh government has reiterated its commitment to their protection.
