The incident reportedly took place at around 8pm on Thursday, 17 September, in the Char Kalibari area of Char Algi Union in Gafargaon.
According to police, local residents and the victims’ family, five armed young men entered the unfinished house of the expatriate. They have been identified as Sharif, 23, son of Taher Uddin; Arif, 21; Fahim, 22, son of Momin; Rajib, 23, son of Mofazzal; and Enamul, 22, son of Nurul.
The men allegedly first asked the expatriate’s 14-year-old son for water. When the boy approached the doorway with a jug and glass, the group allegedly seized him and tied him to a tree beside the door. He was reportedly kept there under threat of weapons.
The attackers then allegedly entered the house and held the boy’s mother at gunpoint. Police and family members say they broke open a cupboard and took around Tk 500,000 in cash. They also allegedly took jewellery, including the woman’s necklace and earrings, as well as about two bhori of gold valued at roughly Tk 500,000, along with other valuables.
The alleged assault took place after the robbery, according to the complaint. Police said the suspects allegedly held a machete to the boy’s throat and brought his mother to the area where he had been restrained. The woman has alleged that she was sexually assaulted by two members of the group while her son was present. She told police that the other members of the group remained outside.
There is also an allegation that Rajib recorded the incident on a mobile phone. The woman and her son were subsequently threatened, and the suspects allegedly demanded a further Tk 200,000 within three days. They reportedly threatened to publish the video on Facebook if the matter was disclosed.
After the group left, the victims’ cries alerted neighbours, who came to their assistance and informed Gafargaon police. Officers visited the scene and launched an operation to locate those allegedly involved.
Police said that at around 3am on Friday, an operation was conducted at an isolated spot near a government primary school in Char Kalibari village, about one kilometre from the reported crime scene. Four suspects allegedly fled, while Rajib was detained.
According to police, Rajib threw the mobile phone allegedly used to record the video into water when he was detained. Officers subsequently searched the area and recovered the phone.
The woman’s brother-in-law said she had been living with her son, who is a Class IX student, after her elder daughter was married. He alleged that the attackers restrained his nephew before assaulting his sister-in-law. He said a complaint was submitted to the police station on Friday afternoon and called for those responsible to face justice.
Mymensingh Additional Superintendent of Police for the Gafargaon Circle, Montosh Biswas, said the woman had named five people in her complaint. According to her account, two of them were allegedly involved in the sexual assault while the others remained outside. She also alleged that her son was held hostage and that cash, jewellery and other belongings were taken after the house was vandalised.
Biswas said one person had been detained and that the allegations were being investigated. Medical examination reports and other evidence would be assessed before the police establish the facts of the case, he said. The allegation that the incident was recorded on video is also being investigated.
Police said proceedings to file a case were under way, while efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects continued.
