Dhaka– A prominent human rights organization has strongly condemned the brutal gang rape of a Hindu woman in Cumilla district, Bangladesh, allegedly carried out by a local politician and his associates, who also filmed the assault and circulated the footage online.
Five suspects have been arrested so far, including the prime accused, Fajar Ali, a member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), according to reports.
The Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) issued a scathing statement, describing the attack as part of a larger pattern of systemic violence against religious minorities and women in the country.
“On the night of June 26, 2025, a Hindu woman in Muradnagar, Cumilla, suffered one of the most brutal forms of violence imaginable. Her home was invaded, her dignity violated, and her trauma recorded and shared like a war trophy,” the HRCBM said in a statement.
The organization criticized Bangladeshi authorities for failing to immediately conduct a mandatory medical examination and delaying the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) until June 29. Law enforcement reportedly told the survivor it was “up to her” to seek medical care, a response the HRCBM condemned as a “gross violation of procedural and ethical standards.”
While some perpetrators have been arrested — including individuals involved in circulating the video — others remain at large. The HRCBM noted that local efforts to protect the accused, particularly Fajar Ali and his associates, have hindered justice. Video statements from members of the local Muslim community allegedly revealed attempts to downplay the incident and shield the attackers.
“These community responses not only obstruct justice but also contribute to the normalization of gender-based violence against minorities,” the HRCBM said.
Labeling the incident as part of a broader, deeply entrenched crisis, the organization cited 13 reported gang rapes of Hindu women in Cumilla since April 2025 alone. It also highlighted an alarming rise in nationwide cases involving the abduction, rape, forced conversion, and silencing of minority women and girls.
“Families now contact us regularly, pleading for help to rescue their daughters,” the group said.
The HRCBM also criticized the mainstream Bangladeshi media for its muted response, stating that the Muradnagar case would likely have been ignored if not for the viral circulation of the assault video, which forced public attention.
The organization is preparing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) calling for a judicial inquiry into the state of minority women and girls in Bangladesh. It also urged the international community — including the United Nations, global civil society, and human rights defenders — to demand accountability from the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.
Bangladesh Students League President Saddam Hussain also condemned the attack, warning that the country is increasingly resembling a “fascist Islamist regime” where the suffering of women and religious minorities is routinely ignored.
“The latest horror comes from Cumilla, where a young Hindu mother of two was raped at knifepoint by Fajar Ali, an active BNP member. Her only crime was being a Hindu woman in a country where religious identity makes you a target,” he wrote in a post on X.
“She was mercilessly beaten, her assault recorded and shared. That video — too disturbing to watch — is a grim reminder of the escalating persecution of Hindu women in Bangladesh,” he added.
As calls for justice grow, the international community faces mounting pressure to address what rights groups say is a deepening human rights crisis in Bangladesh. (Source: IANS)
