Three Arrested For Raping Young Woman On Dhaka-Tangail Highway

A harrowing incident has been reported on the Dhaka–Tangail highway, where a young woman was allegedly gang-raped on a moving bus. The highway police have arrested the bus driver and two accomplices in connection with the crime. The arrests were made on Thursday afternoon near the Kortia area of Tangail Sadar.

The victim, a resident of Mirpur in Dhaka, originally hails from Kushtia district. The three suspects apprehended are:

According to Superintendent Sharif of the Elenga Highway Police Outpost, the incident occurred late Wednesday night at approximately 11:45 pm. The victim boarded a Savar Transport bus from the Radio Colony area in Savar, heading towards Ashulia. Initially, two other passengers were on the bus, but they alighted after a short distance, leaving the woman alone.

It was at this point that driver Altaf and his accomplice Sagor allegedly attacked her. Disturbingly, the assault was recorded on a mobile phone. The assailants then drove the bus across Savar, Ashulia, and Chandra throughout the night. The victim was reportedly threatened with the dissemination of the video on social media should she raise an alarm. Her mobile phone and earrings were also confiscated during the ordeal.

The bus came to a halt on Thursday at around 12:15 pm near the Kortia underpass on the Dhaka–Tangail highway, where a highway police patrol discovered the vehicle. The victim disclosed the assault to the authorities, who immediately rescued her and arrested the driver and his two accomplices. The bus has been seized as evidence.

Rahul Amin, Officer-in-Charge of Tangail Sadar Police Station, stated in the evening that preparations for filing a formal case are underway. The victim will act as the complainant, and the three arrested individuals will be listed as accused. Authorities have pledged strict legal action and intensified patrols along major highways to prevent such appalling crimes in the future.

The case has sparked widespread concern over passenger safety on intercity buses, highlighting the urgent need for stricter regulations and vigilance to protect vulnerable commuters, particularly women travelling alone.