Gopalganj gang-rape suspects are professional criminals: RAB

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested six youths on Friday night over the gang-rape of a student of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University of Science and Technology (BSMRSTU) in Gopalganj.

All the arrestees – Rakib Mia, Pias Fakir, Prodeep Biswas, Nahid Raihan, Md Helal and Turjo Mohanto – are professional criminals, Khondaker Al Moyeen, RAB's legal and media wing director, said at a press briefing in Dhaka on Saturday.

The RAB official also said the arrestees, who hailed from Gopalganj and adjacent areas, are members of a criminal gang led by Rakib Mia. They all are residents of Goplaganj and adjacent areas.

All but Turjo Mohanto have been involved in various offences, including taking drugs, gambling, stealing, and mugging for the last 10 years and often stalked school and college girls, Khondaker Al Moyeen added.

Multiples cases had already been filed against them with the police station, he also said.  

The RAB official said a group of youths intercepted the victim and her friend on Wednesday when they were walking past the Nabinbagh Helipad area. Soon they got into an altercation. At one stage, the unruly youths beat up her friend and dragged the victim to a nearby building, and raped her.

Following the incident, the BSMRSTU proctor filed a case with Gopalganj Sadar police station under the Women and Children Repression Act accusing unidentified persons.

Students of Gopalganj University blocked the Dhaka-Khulna Highway on Thursday, demanding quick arrest of the culprits involved in the gang-rape of a fellow student.

Moreover, students from other universities across the country expressed their solidarity with the anti-rape demonstration and demanded exemplary punishment of the culprits.