Muradnagar 'rape' victim falls prey to village supremacy combat

Locally influencial Fazor Ali reportedly raped a woman in Muradnagar upazila of Cumilla on June 26. As the incident unfolded, some local men not only assaulted Fazor but also brutally beat the victim up. Eventually, they stripped and filmed the incident, later circulating the video on Facebook.

The video quickly went viral, sparking nationwide outrage and condemnation. The victim later filed two cases with the local police station, leading to the arrest of Fazor Ali. However, the incident soon became clouded in confusion and suspicion.

An investigation by Views Bangladesh revealed a complex web of local politics, dominance struggles, loan sharking, sand trading, and personal vendettas behind the incident. It appears the woman became an unwitting pawn in a larger power game.

The victim, a resident of Baheerchar village, told Views Bangladesh that Fazor Ali was an acquaintance and that her family had borrowed Tk 50,000 from him, repaying Tk 4,000 monthly in interest.

“On Thursday night, Fazor came to our house demanding the money, but his real intention was to assault me,” she alleged. “He raped me, and then locals like Mohammad Ali (alias Sumon), Ramzan Ali, Md. Arif, and Md. Onik arrived. They assaulted both of us, filmed me naked, and shared the footage on Facebook.”

She added that she had been married for 12 years and her husband works in the Middle East. She hadn’t spoken to him about the incident until the following Monday.

Although the woman filed the case on Friday and demanded justice until Monday afternoon, she later expressed a desire to withdraw the rape case. When asked why, she said, “I filed it without fully understanding and without consulting my family. Now, I just want to avoid further trouble.” She declined to comment further.

Shortly after this conversation, it was discovered that the woman had left her father’s house. She reportedly left on Monday afternoon with her two children, under police escort, to return to her husband's home. Her parents and other family members also vacated the house and relocated elsewhere.

Local accounts of that night reveal that the woman had been visiting her parental home for about 15 days. The house is situated in a secluded riverside location, with two adjacent rooms — one occupied by her father and the other by her uncles.

Because there was a religious festival (puja) on the night of the incident, the house was largely empty. Fazor allegedly entered the house during this time, and soon after, about 15–20 young men led by Mohammad Ali alias Sumon arrived, beat the woman, and recorded the video.

The group that attacked her reportedly had prior enmity with Fazor Ali. All of them lived about a kilometer away from the house, raising the question: how did they know what was happening? This led investigators to uncover a feud between Fazor and another influential man, Abul Kalam. Locals believe the woman was used as bait in the long-standing power struggle between the two men.

Fazor, a carpenter by profession, comes from a locally influential family that dominates the sand business. He is also alleged to be involved in loan-sharking and gambling. He previously faced murder charges in connection with a bank official’s death — a case still unresolved.

Abul Kalam, on the other hand, has long maintained political dominance in the area and is affiliated with the ruling Awami League. He built his wealth through sand and soil trading during the Awami League's time in power. Initially friends, Fazor and Kalam became rivals around 2014 after Fazor joined the sand business.

Although Fazor was once aligned with the Awami League, locals say he later became involved with the BNP’s youth wing, Jubo Dal. The local BNP, however, issued a statement denying any affiliation with Fazor.

Residents claim Kalam set a trap for Fazor. Knowing that Fazor frequently visited the woman’s house, Kalam’s supporters, including Sumon, lay in wait. When Fazor entered the house, they ambushed him and the woman, recorded everything, and distributed the footage online. They also allegedly incited the woman to file the rape case.

Several neighbors, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the entire incident appeared to be premeditated. “If it wasn’t planned, why didn’t nearby neighbors hear anything first? How did people from the far end of the village know before anyone else?” they questioned.

Locals also noted Fazor’s frequent visits to the woman’s house were long viewed with suspicion. Two years ago, community concerns about their relationship led to a village arbitration led by Union Chairman Mohammad Golam Kibria. When contacted, Kibria confirmed this past settlement and acknowledged Fazor’s regular presence at the house due to financial dealings.

Former union parishad member Abdur Rauf described Fazor as “a notorious character” known for harassing local women.

Following the incident, the victim and her family became unreachable. Fazor’s father, Shahid Mia, and sister-in-law, Rabea Khatun, insisted he was innocent and framed. “Everyone in the area knows what’s really going on,” they said.

Meanwhile, Abul Kalam’s father, Abdul Hannan, and sister, Happy Akter, called Fazor a “thug” and expressed concern for Kalam’s safety, saying they planned to file a general diary (GD) with the police.

Muradnagar police station’s Officer-in-Charge Zahidur Rahman told Views Bangladesh, “We’re still investigating. Regardless of what happened, the people who shared the video online committed a crime. The woman was clearly subjected to abuse.”

He added, “We have arrested four people under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act and the Pornography Control Act. Several others have been identified but fled the area. Our operation to apprehend them is ongoing.”

Police have sought a seven-day remand for the four arrested youths — Sumon, Ramzan Ali, Md. Arif, and Md. Onik — for further questioning. The hearing is scheduled for Thursday at Comilla’s Senior Judicial Magistrate Court No. 11, presided over by Judge Mominul Haque.

As the victim is Hindu, Views Bangladesh spoke with Biplob Kumar Saha, a member of the local Puja Celebration Committee, regarding her decision to withdraw the case. He said, “This is clearly a case of minority persecution. There’s no scope to withdraw such a serious case. We demand a neutral investigation.”

Palash Kanti Dey from the Hindu Mahajot, who visited the crime scene, stated, “We stand with the victim’s family. However, we urge the authorities to ensure the case does not become politicized or communal. The investigation must remain impartial.”

A field visit revealed that Baheerchar is one of the poorest areas in Ramchandrapur South Union. Although most residents are farmers, union council data show over 20% are fisherfolk. The low literacy rate and economic vulnerability make villagers heavily reliant on loans from NGOs and private lenders like Fazor and Kalam, often triggering social crises.

Some local youths believe the woman may have been caught in such a debt trap. They called for a fair investigation and exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.