Protests erupt in Meherpur over allegations against rape case investigator

In response, locals staged a demonstration outside the Meherpur Sadar police station, demanding justice.  

On Thursday night (March 13), hundreds of students and activists from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the National Citizens' Committee surrounded the Sadar police station for nearly an hour. 

Following the protest, the accused officer, Sub-Inspector (SI) Sujoy Kumar, was removed from his post and transferred to the district police lines.  

The case stems from a rape incident reported on September 9 last year. The victim’s mother filed a complaint against the main accused, Bayejid Hossain, a resident of Madanadanga village in Sadar upazila. Police arrested Bayejid and two others on September 12, but they were later released on bail.  

The victim’s mother told the media, “Due to police negligence, the accused were granted bail. Since then, they have been threatening us in various ways, even warning that they would release a video of the assault on Facebook unless we withdraw the case. On Thursday evening, SI Sujoy Kumar summoned both parties to the police station, where he pressured me to drop the charges on behalf of the accused.”  

Local activists Tushar Ahmed and Siam Hossain, upon learning about the situation, rushed to the police station and objected to any settlement of the rape case. Enraged by their intervention, SI Sujoy Kumar allegedly assaulted them with a baton inside the station.  

As news of the incident spread, a large crowd gathered outside the police station, demanding strict action against SI Sujoy Kumar and the accused. The protest escalated, prompting the intervention of army personnel to restore order.  

Meherpur Superintendent of Police Maksuda Khanam arrived at the scene and, in response to the protesters’ demands, ordered the immediate removal of SI Sujoy Kumar from the station and his transfer to the district police lines.  

Meherpur Sadar Police Station officer-in-charge Mezbah Uddin confirmed that additional police forces had been deployed to maintain order, stating, “SI Sujoy Kumar has been withdrawn, and the situation is now under control.”