Police in Satkhira Sadar Upazila have initiated a manhunt for a 60-year-old man, Mosharraf Hossain, following allegations that he sexually assaulted a seven-year-old girl at the residence of his brother-in-law, a local political leader. A criminal case has been officially registered against the accused, who remains at large as law enforcement officers conduct raids to secure his arrest.
On Tuesday morning, police officers rescued the child from her village and arranged for her immediate admission to Satkhira Sadar Hospital. Medical personnel are currently providing necessary healthcare services alongside conducting forensic examinations to gather evidence for the ongoing legal investigation.
According to the formal complaint filed by the family, the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon in Waria village, situated within Jhaudanga Union. The victim was reportedly lured onto the rooftop of a residence belonging to Rafiqul Islam, a former Union Parishad chairman and current president of the local Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) unit. The suspect, Mosharraf Hossain, who is Rafiqul Islam’s brother-in-law, allegedly assaulted the young girl inside the premises.
The victim lives in a particularly vulnerable household situation. Her father works abroad as an expatriate labourer, while her mother has remarried and lives elsewhere. Consequently, the child has been raised by her elderly paternal grandmother in Waria village. The grandmother stated that she initially approached Rafiqul Islam seeking justice following the incident, but received no assistance or redress from the local leader, forcing the family to report the crime directly to the police.
Confirming the local reaction, Jhaudanga Union Parishad member Idris Ali mentioned that he had approached the former chairman after learning about the allegations. However, the political leader left the encounter without offering a clear explanation regarding the incident.
Addressing the allegations, Rafiqul Islam acknowledged awareness of the case and stated that his residence is monitored by close-circuit television cameras, claiming that an inspection of the footage would reveal the truth. He added that if his brother-in-law is proven guilty, he should face exemplary punishment under the law, though he asserted that political rivals were exploiting the situation to damage his reputation ahead of upcoming local elections.
Officer-in-Charge of Satkhira Sadar Police Station, Shafiqul Islam, confirmed that officers visited the crime scene to collect initial evidence and interview witnesses. A formal case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act has been lodged, with multiple police teams deployed to locate and arrest Mosharraf Hossain.
