No evidence of rape found in medical report of Khagrachhari schoolgirl
PARBATTANEWS DESK
The medical report of the Marma schoolgirl from Khagrachhari’s Singinala area has found no evidence of rape or gang rape.
The three-member medical board of Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital confirmed the matter in a report signed on 28 September.
The eighth-grader, aged around 12, was admitted to the hospital on the night of 23 September.
According to the victim’s father, his daughter went missing at about 9:30pm on 23 September on her way home after private tuition with a local teacher. At about 11:30pm, locals found her in a water-filled field near a Buddhist monastery under local administration and took her to Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital.
That same night, the girl’s father filed a case at Khagrachhari Sadar Police Station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act alleging that three unidentified youths had gang raped his daughter.
Acting on the complaint, security forces detained a 19-year-old youth, Shoyon Shil, from Ward No. 1 of Singinala area on 24 September morning with the help of the army.
Police later took him on a six-day remand by court order.
Centred on the rape allegation, Jumma Chhatra Janata enforced a road blockade from 6am to 12 noon on 24 September reportedly under the instigation of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF).
Three other UPDF-backed organisations—the Hill Students’ Council, Hill Women’s Federation and Democratic Youth Forum—also expressed solidarity.
Protesters felled trees to block the regional highway at Bailachhari in Matiranga, set fire to a motorcycle and staged picketing with spikes, slingshots and weapons, witnesses said.
Even after the announced time had expired, they stayed on the road, created disorder and blocked a Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) vehicle.
Police and army personnel tried to restore order but the blockade supporters did not respond and allegedly harassed members of the law-enforcement agencies.
According to law-enforcement sources, a half-day hartal was observed on 25 September and road sabotage took place on 26 September in the name of blockade.
Until 26 September the army had not been involved in any action with the protesters.
Suddenly a pick-up truck of the army was attacked, leaving three soldiers injured.
The army handled the situation patiently without engaging in argument or using force.
Officials said conspirators then called rallies across Khagrachhari to divert the issue.
A blockade was called in Khagrachhari on 27 September during which an ambulance was vandalised and ordinary people came under attack.
As sabotage and violence intensified in the name of protest over the rape allegation, the district administration imposed Section 144 indefinitely from 2pm on Saturday in Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila and Khagrachhari Municipality.
The same restriction was imposed in Guimara Upazila.
Failing to achieve their objective in Khagrachhari, the UPDF and its affiliates moved to Guimara on 28 September where similar incidents took place, leaving three people dead and many injured.
Law-enforcement agencies said an external quarter and a certain group in the hills are providing backing from behind to implement such plans.
