A Patro indigenous woman raped in Sylhet by an Army

On 4 April 2014, a Patro indigenous woman (30) was raped by an army named Md Azirul Haque (32) at Kulauti village of Khadimpara Union under Sylhet Sadar upazila in Sylhet district. The Army member was identified in FIR report as Lance Corporal/4016934, Para commando battalion of Sylhet Jalalabad cantonment. His father name is Md. Omor Ali Mondol from Gorura village of Doulotpur police station in Kustia district. Following the incident, the victim was admitted to the One-stop Crisis Centre (OCC) under M A G Osmani Medical College Hospital in Sylhet. The case was filed on 6 April 2014 under section 9(1) of the Prevention of Oppression against Women and Children Act 2000. The case (no. 02/06-04-2014) was filed by victim with Shahporan police station in Sylhet district.

It is learnt that the day of incident, at around 1.00 PM, the victim was going to bring lunch for her husband in their vegetable garden with her son where her husband was planting vegetables. Her son fled from the spot when the perpetrator came to attack her suddenly on her way to the garden. The rapist assaulted and pressed the throat of victim when she reached at Puti Chara Garden. At the stage of resistance, the culprits punched on her chest and kicked her lower abdomen and raped her forcibly. The victim’s husband and son came to the spot quickly after hearing the scream of victim. The perpetrator ran away after the incident.

The local police caught perpetrator when he was fleeing from the spot and sent information to Area Army camp because he introduced himself as a member of Army. After that, an Army troop came to pick him up along with them. The victim was admitted to OCC in Sylhet Osmani Medical College when her physical condition was deteriorated. The victim filed a case herself alleged a rape case against Md Azirul Haque with Shahporan police station in Sylhet district. ECDO, BLAST, BNWLA, PASKPO and other civil society organizations are actively working together to ensure justice for the victim.