Hindu Woman Gang-Raped, Tied To Tree, And Hair Shaved In Bangladesh’s Jhenaidah: Report | India News

A 40-year-old Hindu woman in Kaliganj, a sub-district of Jhenaidah in central Bangladesh, alleged that she was gang-raped by two men who then tied her to a tree and cut off her hair.

According to NDTV, in her complaint to the police, the woman stated that she bought a three-digit land along with a two-storey house in Ward No. 7 of Kaliganj municipality for 2 million taka from Shahin and his brother about two and a half years ago. Following the purchase, Shahin allegedly began making inappropriate overtures and harassing her after she rejected his advances.

When two relatives from her village came to visit on Saturday evening, Şahin and his partner Hasan reportedly broke into her house, raped her and demanded 50,000 taka (about Rs 37,000). When she refused to comply, the men allegedly attacked the relatives and forced them to leave.

The woman also claimed that the perpetrators tied her to a tree, shaved her hair and recorded the incident, which was later spread on social media.

The woman was rescued by local people and later taken to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital.

According to the report, the director of the hospital where the woman was treated, Dr. Art. Mostafizur Rahman said that he did not initially disclose the incident to doctors. The extent of the abuse was only revealed through a medical examination.

The police launched an investigation into the incident upon the woman’s complaint and the investigation is ongoing. Local people expressed their anger, highlighting their concerns about the safety and protection of women in the area.

Also in the NDTV report, Jhenaidah Additional Commissioner of Police Billal Hossain said, “We summoned the survivor to the police station and registered his complaint. After investigation, the police will take maximum legal action.”

Violence Against Minorities in Bangladesh Raises Concerns

Bangladesh has seen a series of violent attacks on minority communities in recent weeks, causing alarm both locally and in neighboring India.

On the same day that a 40-year-old Hindu woman was allegedly gang-raped and tied to a tree in Jhenaidah, Kaliganj, a Hindu man named Khokon Chandra Das died after being attacked by a mob and set on fire in Shariatpur district. Das initially managed to escape by jumping into a pond but died from his injuries on Saturday.

Earlier incidents include the alleged lynching of Hindu youth Amrit Mondal in Kalimohar Union on December 24. The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus condemned the murder but claimed that Mondal was involved in extortion and denied any communal purpose.

Another case involved 25-year-old Dipu Chandra Das, who was lynched by a mob on December 18 after he was falsely accused of blasphemy. It was stated that his body was hung from a tree and set on fire.

India stated that it was closely following the developments in Bangladesh and expressed its concerns about what it described as “unremitting hostility” towards minorities under Yunus administration. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh government reiterated its commitment to protecting minority communities.