Two arrested over ‘rape’ of college student on launch

The student was travelling to Dhaka from Noakhali when she was attacked by two men on board the vessel

Police have arrested two suspects after a college student from Dhaka was allegedly raped on board a launch.

The incident occurred on the Farhan-04 launch the night of Mar 8, after the vessel set off from Dhaka from the Tamruddin Launch Dock in Noakhali’s Hatia Upazila, said Shah Md Faisal Ahmed, chief (OC) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Kotwali Police Station.

A case was filed over the incident on Monday night, the OC said. Two suspects accused in the case – Mohammad Sakib Uddin, 26, and Mohammad Nuruzzaman Mithu, 32 – have been arrested.

The student boarded the launch on the afternoon on Mar 8 and disembarked early on Mar 9. Then she went directly to the police station with her brother and filed a complaint. The student was immediately admitted to a hospital.

Officer Faisal said, “After receiving the complaint, we admitted the victim to the hospital and began work to arrest the suspects after learning the details from her. Two suspects were arrested after a continuous operation.

“Her brother filed a case over the incident on Monday night. The suspects have been shown arrested in the case and sent to a court.”

Citing the complaint, he said the student’s father had taken her to her cabin and left. Sakib and Nuruzzaman then allegedly boarded the vessel at night, entered her cabin, and then raped her.