Journalist ‘gang-raped’ in Dhaka’s Pallabi, 2 arrested

She has allegedly been held overnight at an under-construction building in Barontek’s Green City area

A female journalist has allegedly been gang-raped after being held overnight in an under-construction building at Barontek in Dhaka’s Pallabi.

Police arrested two suspects, Enamul Haque, 38, and Hamidur Rahman, 50, in connection with the incident in the Green City area, said Pallabi Police Station chief Nazrul Islam.

A case was filed on Tuesday, naming eight individuals, while another eight were accused without specific identification.

The victim was reportedly lured to the location on Monday night under the pretext of gathering news on “illegal activities”.

She claimed to police that she was then held hostage and raped until morning.

The journalist was admitted to the One-Stop Crisis Centre at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Tuesday evening for a medical examination.

Police said the victim introduced herself as a journalist from a “lesser-known” news outlet.

OC Nazrul said, “We suspect that someone among the accused lured her to the site. She alleged that she was held in an under-construction building and raped overnight.”

“She later called 999 in the morning. Initially, a team from Cantonment Police Station responded. Upon realising the location fell under Pallabi’s jurisdiction, they rescued her and handed her over to Pallabi police.”

When asked about the identities of the suspects, Nazrul said all of them were caretakers of the buildings in the area.

According to police, multiple high-rise buildings are under construction in the vicinity, and the victim was held captive and raped in one of them.