Rally, human chain demand immediate arrest of culprits

Students of Pabna Edward College held a rally and formed a human chain on Pabna-Rajshahi Road in front of the college yesterday, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits who raped a girl of the college on March 13.

A gang of 4/5 criminals gang-raped a second year student of history department of the college while she was going to attend a religious programme at Punduria village in Santhia upazila of the district on the day.

The victim's father filed a case, accusing four people, including Faridul Islam and Hafizul Islam of the village, the following day.

Soon after the incident, police arrested one Md Chand Ali, suspecting his involvement in the incident.

Addressing a rally at the venue yesterday, students of the college questioned the role of police as the culprits are yet to be arrested.

Students Krishna Pada Barman, Iftehadul Hasan Sagor, Aminul Islam, Johurul Islam and Arif Hossain, Kamruzzaman Prince, among others, spoke.

On March 16, teachers and students of the college held a rally on the campus, demanding immediate arrest of the rapists.

Head of history department Dr Md Shajahan, president of Pabna Press Club Shibojit Nag and president of the district unit of BCL Ruhul Amin, among others, spoke.

Later, the agitating students put up a barricade on Abdul Hamid Road in the district town to press the demand.

The students later withdrew the barricade following an assurance by Additional Superintendent of Police Liton Kumar of taking immediate steps to arrest the culprits. None of the accused in the rape case was arrested as of yesterday.

Contacted, Officer-in-Charge Nasir Uddin of Santhia Police Station said the accused went into hiding soon after the incident. Law enforcers are raiding different areas to arrest them, he added.