BNP leader accused of holding arbitration to settle 'attempted rape' case

A local BNP leader has been accused of holding an arbitration to settle a rape attempt of a seven-year-old girl by a youth in Noakhali's Companiganj.

A video of the incident has gone viral on social media.

Police arrested the suspect, Md Shahrukh, 19, of Ward 6 of Musapur union of the upazila, from Sonapur Zero Point area of Noakhali municipality around 3:00pm today.

Companiganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Gazi Muhammad Fauzul Azim confirmed the arbitration meeting and the arrest of the youth.

According to locals and police, on early Saturday morning, on the way to the madrasa, Shahrukh finding the girl alone on the road took her to a secluded place and tried to rape her. When she screamed, passersby went to the spot and Shahrukh fled the spot.

The arbitration meeting was held at Ward 6 of Musapur union in the upazila on Sunday afternoon.

Aggrieved locals have demanded that the arbitrators be brought under the law.

According to the viral video, many present during the arbitration urged former Musapur union BNP joint general secretary and arbitrator Md Ali alias Jony to speak.

"With the consent of all, instead of going to the court, we have a verdict here that Shahrukh will be fined Tk 20,000 and given 20 lashes," Ali was heard saying in the video.

However, the victim's mother did not agree to the verdict and filed a case with Companiganj Police Station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000 on the same day.

Asked about the allegations, Md Ali said, "Most of the arbitrators are involved in BNP politics. Both the parties asked me to hold the arbitration to settle the matter. That's why I went there. However, I should not have gotten involved in the matter. My political rivals have made the video viral as a smear campaign."