‘Raped’ Rangamati Marma sisters at local AL leader’s home

The two sisters of the ethnic Marma tribe in Rangamati, who had been under police custody in a hospital following allegations they had been sexually assaulted, are now at the home of a local leader of the Awami League.

Avilash Tangchangya, a leader of the Awami League’s Bilaichharhi Upazila unit, however, claims their parents decided to move them to his house over security concerns.

Police left the teenagers in their parent’s custody on Feb 15 following the High Court’s order.

“The girls left with their parents after the court’s order,” Rangamati Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Manzarul Mannan told bdnews24.com.

But it was found later they were at the home of Tangchangya in the district town’s Reserve Bazar area.

“The parents brought the girls to my home,” said the ruling party leader and former district council member.

“Since a radical group of people want to take the girls in their custody, they are at my home over security concerns,” he claimed.

The girls will go back to their home once things are ‘back to normal’, according to Tangchangya.

Chakma circle Queen Yan Yan, who herself belongs to the ethnic Marma community, wanted to take custody of the girls from the hospital.

Yan Yan, who is married to Chakma King Debashish Roy, had said then the girls, who do not speak any Bangla, wanted to stay with her.

Rangamati MP Ushatan Talukder, Chakma circle’s King Devashish and Queen Yen Yen went to the hospital to take custody of the girls.

But the hospital authorities denied them, following which the police were deployed and they were posted there until Feb 15.

On Feb 13, the parents moved the High Court for their children’s custody and secured an order in their favour.

Amid a firestorm on the social media, the parents were brought before the media on Jan 4 at the Rangamati Press Club, where they claimed the issue over their daughters was being ‘politicised and confusions created’.

Medical report with court

After the girls were taken to the hospital, a three-strong medical panel was formed to examine them.

The panel filed its findings with the Rangamati civil surgeon’s office on Jan 31.

The report has been forwarded to the court, Rangamati Sadar Hospital’s Resident Physician Shawkat Akbar confirmed.

He, however, declined to provide any details since “the report is with the court”.