Imam held in sunamganj over alleged rape of college student on false promise of marriage

Police have arrested a mosque imam in Sunamganj's Bishwambharpur upazila on allegations of repeatedly raping a college student after allegedly luring her with a false promise of marriage.

He was arrested on Tuesday evening from the Baghber Bazar area of the upazila.

The accused, Humayun Ahmed, 30, is a resident of Madhurkandi village in Solukabad Union.

He had been serving as the imam of Southpara Jame Mosque in Ratargaon village.

According to the case statement and police, the accused allegedly developed a romantic relationship with an eleventh-grade student of Digendra Barman Government College, who lived next to the mosque where he worked.

The complaint alleges that on the night of 24 May, he took the student to his room beside the mosque after assuring her that he would marry her and raped her. He is also accused of threatening her with a knife and warning her not to disclose the incident.

The case further states that on 17 July, Humayun allegedly raped the student again at his residence.

Although he reportedly promised to divorce his wife and marry the survivor, he later refused when she pressed him to fulfil the promise and instead allegedly intimidated her.

On 26 July, the survivor's father filed a case with the Sunamganj Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal. Following the court's directive, the case was formally registered at Bishwambharpur Police Station.

Officer-in-Charge Shahin Mia of Bishwambharpur Police Station said the accused had been arrested in compliance with the court's order and would be produced before the court on Wednesday.