Raped in Mauritius, Bangladeshi woman seeks justice

A Bangladeshi woman, who worked in a company in Mauritius, an African country, was raped by the company owner and his accomplishes.

The victim filed a case under separate sections of the Human Trafficking Act and Women and Child Oppression Prevention Act at Rampura Police Station on Saturday, read a press release of Brac Migration Program. 

Earlier, she had sought help from the expatriate welfare and overseas employment ministry. The ministry has assured her of all kinds of support. After that, the accused are creating pressure on her in various ways, the woman complained.

According to the case statement and the victim's allegations, after arriving in Mauritius in February, 2020, she started working as a helper in the Fire Mount Textile Company. However, the company did not pay the salary regularly.

Mohammad Shah Alam, from Bangladesh' Feni district, runs the canteen for workers of the Fire Mount Textile. Shah Alam and his associates Furkan, Siddique and Aslam told her one day that the owner of the company likes her.  If she stays with him, it will be much better for her. 

As she refused to accept such a proposal, Shah Alam threatened her at different times.

One day Shah Alam told her, "The company owner complained against you so you have to go to the owner. I was then taken to the home of Anil Kohli, owner of Fire Mount Textiles. And Anil Kohli raped me on that day."

After that, Shah Alam and company owner Anil Kali used to rape her by threatening to spread the video of rape incident on social media, victim woman complained.

At one stage, she became pregnant and was aborted in a hospital in Mauritius. She then was promised to be sent back to the country, saying her father would be brought to Mauritius.

The woman also said earlier her father went to a recruiting agency, for work abroad. They told him that he could not go abroad due to old age. He can send his daughter to Mauritius. Then the victim was sent to Mauritius with a promise of Tk18,000 salary through Messers M Akhter & Sons.  

Later, on the condition that she will not lodge any complaint, her father was brought to the company in November last year and she was sent back to the country.

Now, after filing a complaint in the country, her father is also being kept under surveillance and mentally tortured.

The woman said she tried to commit suicide just three days after returning home. But her sister saved her from committing suicide. After that they contacted the Brac Migration Program which provided her with medical and counseling support.

The victim claimed that more than 600 Bangladeshi women work in the company. The aforesaid people forced the women into prostitution as their choice. Factory owner Anil Kohli often oppresses women.

Following the news on a private television channel in Bangladesh, several Mauritius media outlets published news on the issue and demanded action against those involved. Now, the accused are trying to reach a compromise with the victim in various ways.

Shariful Hasan, head of Brac's migration program, said the victim's description was appalling. Sexual harassment or prostitution after taking women with a promise to work abroad is similar to human trafficking.

It should also be investigated whether any other Bangladeshi woman is a victim of such oppression. Mauritius and the Bangladesh government should jointly investigate the incident, he added. 

"I hope that there will be a proper investigation and trial as a case has been filed under the Human Trafficking Act in Bangladesh," the Brac official said.