A tourist has allegedly been gang-raped after she went to Cox’s Bazar on a trip with her husband and son.
A group of men took her husband and child hostage from the city’s Laboni Point area and allegedly raped her several times, reports bdnews24.com.
The law enforcers rescued the woman from a hotel called Zia Guest Inn around 1:30 am on Thursday, said RAB-15 Commander Lt Col Khairul Islam.
The elite force detained the hotel manager and identified the perpetrators after checking video footage from a CCTV camera. A manhunt has been launched to arrest the criminals, reports bdnews24.com.
The 25-year-old victim has been sent to the one-stop crisis centre at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital for treatment, Khairul Islam said.
The woman, her husband and their child travelled from their home in Dhaka’s Jatrabari and lodged at a hotel on Cox’s Bazar’s Holiday Mor early on Wednesday.
Her husband and an unknown man were involved in an altercation that afternoon after they bumped into each other at the crowded Laboni Point market.
Then, later that day, a group took the victim’s 8-month-old son and husband hostage in front of the Tourist Golf Course.
At the same time, three men took the woman behind a tea stall near the Golf Course and raped her.
Later, the victim said they took her to Zia Guest Inn and raped her once again. The three men threatened to kill her husband and son if she told anyone about the rape and left, locking the door from the outside.
The woman was able to shout for help through the window and was let out of the room. RAB went to the hotel and recovered her after receiving a call. They then rescued her husband and son from in front of the Tourist Golf Course.
“Those involved in this incident will receive harsh punishment, no matter who they may be,” RAB official Khairul Islam said. “The matter is under investigation and a case is being prepared.
The victim has alleged that she called the national helpline 999, but received no assistance from the police.
Instead of helping her, the official on the phone asked her to file a written complaint at the police station. She contacted RAB officials afterwards with assistance from locals.
We will file a case after getting a written complaint from her, Cox’s Bazar Sadar Model Police Station OC Munir-Ul Gias said.