Arrests Made in Narsingdi Teen Girl Murder Case

NARSINGDI — Police have filed a case against nine individuals in connection with the abduction and subsequent murder of a teenage girl in Narsingdi, following her father’s attempts to seek justice after she was allegedly sexually assaulted. The case was lodged late Thursday night at Madhabdi Police Station by the victim’s mother, and five of the accused were arrested on the same night. Among the detainees are a local political leader affiliated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and his son.

The victim’s body was recovered around 12:30 pm on Thursday from a bitter gourd field located between Bilpara and Dorikandi areas in Mahishashura Union, under Madhabdi Upazila. The teenage girl had been living with her parents and brother in a rented house within the union. Her father and brother work as labourers in a local textile factory, while their permanent home is in Barisal.

Arrested Individuals

According to the police, the main accused, a youth known locally as Noor, had prior disputes with the victim. Approximately fifteen days ago, Noor and five to six associates allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted the girl. The family approached Ahmad Ali Dewan seeking justice, but the matter remained unresolved. The accused, angered by the complaint, reportedly conspired to take revenge.

On Wednesday night, while the girl’s father was escorting her to her maternal aunt’s home, she was forcibly taken by Noor and his associates near Bilpara. Despite a night-long search, the girl’s whereabouts remained unknown until local residents discovered her body the following morning in the field between Bilpara and Dorikandi. Police subsequently recovered the body and launched an investigation.

The family has accused Ahmad Ali Dewan of colluding with the perpetrators in exchange for money, failing to pursue justice, and pressuring them to leave the village. These failures, they claim, emboldened the criminals and directly led to the abduction and murder.

In response to the incident, Sadar constituency MP Khairul Kabir Khokon posted on social media, assuring that all culprits would be brought to justice and pledging his full support to the victim’s family.

Madhabdi Police Officer-in-Charge Kamal Hossain told Prothom Alo that efforts to arrest Noor, the main suspect, are ongoing, with law enforcement agencies actively conducting operations.

The case has drawn widespread outrage, highlighting concerns over the protection of minors and accountability of local authorities in handling sexual assault allegations.