A delinquent youth was arrested for allegedly raping a housewife in Narail, and also filming the incident.
The arrestee was identified as Fahad Molla.
He was arrested on Sunday evening following two cases filed against him by the victim under the rape and pornography laws.
The incident took place at Kalinagar village in Narail Sadar upazila.
According to police sources,the victim was gangraped by Imran Mollah, Mamun Sheikh and Fahad Mollah of the village when she went outside her house to answer the call of nature. Moreover, they recorded the incident on a mobile phone and used it to blackmail the victim later.
When the perpetrators wanted to establish a physical relationship with the scared victim again in an attempt to take advantage of her silence, the victim went to the local Matabbars for justice.
After seeing no other alternatives, the victim went to the police station on Sunday and filed two cases. Later police conducted a special operation to catch the criminals and managed to arrest Fahad Molla.
Bangladesh's rape epidemic
Bangladesh is facing a 'rape epidemic' despite recent government approval of the death penalty for the crime - not that evidence ever suggested it would have the desired effect.
Earlier this month, a police headquarters report said 26,695 rape cases had been filed across the country in the last five years.
Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) data shows that 1,018 children were raped last year alone, but only 683 police cases were filed. Also, 116 victims were 6 years old or below.
Overall, 1,627 rape cases were reported last year and 53 of the victims were killed by the perpetrators while 14 took their own lives, the data showed.
However, ASK's data was likely just the tip of the iceberg, according to aid agencies, who report that most women are too afraid to report rape.
In October 2020, the country was rocked by protests after a woman was attacked and raped in Noakhali.
In November last year, Bangladesh introduced the death penalty for rape, following days of protests against sexual violence against women in several cities across Bangladesh.
But human rights organisations say the move will not solve the country's rape crisis, as victims of sex assault are often stigmatised in society.
