A 23-year-old housewife in Manikganj’s Singair has alleged that she was abducted from near her home and sexually assaulted by five unidentified men before being left tied beside a field. The assailants also allegedly scattered dried chilli powder over different parts of her body before fleeing the scene.
The woman has filed a written complaint with Singair Police Station, naming five unidentified people as accused.
According to the complaint, the incident took place at around 2am on 21 September in a village under Baldhara Union. The woman had been sleeping in her bedroom with her husband when she went outside to use the toilet.
After leaving the toilet, she was allegedly confronted by five masked men who had been lying in wait. The men covered her mouth and forcibly took her away from the house.
The complaint states that the group took her to a drain beside an agricultural plot belonging to one of her relatives, around 100 yards from her home. She alleged that the men held her at knifepoint and sexually assaulted her one after another.
After about an hour, the attackers allegedly tied her hands and feet with her scarf and other pieces of cloth before leaving her on the embankment of a nearby field.
The woman further alleged that, before leaving, the men threw dried chilli powder into her eyes, mouth and other parts of her body. They then fled the area.
Hearing her cries, relatives later went to the location and found her tied up. They released her and used water to remove the chilli powder from her body. She was subsequently taken to Singair Upazila Health Complex, where she received initial medical treatment.
In her account to the authorities, the woman said the attackers appeared to be between 15 and 25 years old. She also said they spoke in the local dialect. As the men had covered their faces, she could not provide their identities.
The allegation has prompted a police investigation, with officers working to identify those involved. Police have not yet announced any arrests in connection with the case.
Singair Circle Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Fahim Asjad confirmed that a case had been filed over the alleged gang rape of the woman. He said efforts were under way to identify and arrest those responsible.
Attempts were also made to contact Singair Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Mazharul Islam by telephone several times for comment, but he did not respond.
The case remains under investigation, and the allegations against the unidentified suspects have yet to be established in court.
