Abrar Hussain: A rapist has been ordered to pay Tk 1.15 lakh in compensation to the family of the rape victim in a settlement, reportedly through village arbitration, as the rapist’s family is said to be “influential and wealthy”, according to a report by The Daily Star.
Chairman of Akcha Union Parishad (UP) Subrata Kumar Barman told The Daily Star that on September 5, Mamtajul Islam, 19, son of Quaium Islam from Boikanthapur village, promising marriage, took a ninth grader girl, who was also his neighbour, to Chitagaon Park where he “raped” her.
The girl then told her mother about the incident when she returned home, added Barman.
The victim’s father then went to Subrata to resolve the matter diplomatically; Subrata advised the family to either file a case with Thakurgaon Police Station or place an official complaint.
However, the family took neither steps, the chairman alleged.
Seeking anonymity, a UP member on Tuesday told The Daily Star that as the news of the incident spread across the area, several locally influential people with political backgrounds, including Shafiqul Islam, Ismail, Abdul Jalil, Iajudding, and Shajahan, on Saturday, organized the arbitration at the victim’s house. The alleged rapist’s family was also present there.
The arbitrators “settled the matter” by asking Mamtajul’s family to pay Tk 1.15 lakh to the victim’s family, who, on the other hand, was requested not to file a case in this connection or acknowledge the incident as Mamtajul’s family “was influential”, he said.
Altafur Rahman, 32, a villager, on Tuesday told The Daily Star that he heard from others that the arbitrators took Tk 3 lakh from Mamtajul’s family on Sunday, from which Tk 1.15 lakh was given to the victim’s family and the rest was split amongst them.
Officer-in-Charge of Thakurgaon Police Station Abdul Latif Mia told The Daily Star that he is yet to receive a complaint in this regard.