Woman allegedly raped in front of children, 2 detained

A woman has allegedly been raped in front of her two children in Gazipur's Sreepur after being called with the promise of shelter. The incident took place in the Mawna Chowrasta area of the upazila on Thursday noon. Later, based on information provided by the woman, police detained two people for questioning.

The victim woman alleged that she was sitting under the Mawna Chowrasta flyover with her two children on Tuesday night. There, she met a local betel leaf trader named Sohrab Hossain. Sohrab took her to a secluded place, promising to arrange shelter and financial assistance. She alleged that she was raped there in front of her two children.

After the incident, the woman went to several people with her children seeking justice. However, frustrated as no one took the matter seriously, she attempted suicide by jumping under a vehicle on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway with her children, she said.

It was learned that the woman begs for alms with her two children. Her husband left her a few months ago. She had been living in a rented house in the Jainabazar area of Sreepur with her children. As she could not pay the rent for several months, the landlord evicted her from the house on Tuesday.

Sreepur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shahinur Alam said Shaheedul Islam and Gautam Saha, whom the victim identified, were taken to the police station for questioning on Thursday. The woman was also interrogated.

Gazipur Superintendent of Police Jasim Uddin said the woman told police that she is a sex worker and does not want to file a case. However, police are ready to file a rape case over the allegation.