Life-sentenced accused of Dinajpur child rape arrested after bail granted
Saiful Islam, the accused sentenced to life imprisonment in the rape case of a five-year-old child in Dinajpur, was arrested at 2:30 pm today, Monday. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-13 arrested him from the house of Saiful Islam’s relative in Badarganj Upazila of Rangpur. RAB-13 Dinajpur Company Commander Mohidul Islam confirmed the truth of the information about Saiful Islam’s arrest to Prothom Alo.
Saiful Islam raped the child in Dinajpur eight and a half years ago by cutting off his genitals. As a result, the child’s bladder was damaged. Despite multiple surgeries, he still leaks urine. The child is now 13 years old. Accused Saiful Islam was released on bail on February 19 after serving a prison sentence of 8 years and 4 months. There was intense anger among women and child rights activists over the bail of the accused sentenced to life imprisonment. In this situation, the state party filed a petition in the Appellate Division Chamber Court to cancel the bail. After hearing the application on March 5, the court gave an eight-week stay on the bail order of accused Saiful Islam obtained from the High Court. It also ordered the arrest of the accused. Yesterday, Prothom Alo published a news about this under the headline ‘Bail of accused sentenced to life imprisonment in child rape in Dinajpur suspended, news of accused leaving the area’.
Earlier, on February 27, Prothom Alo published the news of the accused being granted bail under the headline ‘How can a life-sentenced accused be released?’ – The regrets of the father of a child who was raped.
The company commander of RAB-13 told Prothom Alo that after seeing the news of Prothom Alo, RAB-13 arrested the accused with the help of the Intelligence Department of RAB Headquarters. The accused will be handed over to Dinajpur Police. In response to a question, he said that accused Saiful Islam was preparing documents to flee to India.
On October 18, 2016, the child went missing while playing with a neighbor’s girl of the same age. The next day, the child was found sick near his house. The child’s reproductive organs, head, neck, hands and feet had sharp weapon injuries. There were cigarette butt wounds on his thigh. The child’s father filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act on October 20 of that year. Immediately after the incident, the police arrested his neighbor Saiful Islam as an accused. The incident was discussed in the media. The court sentenced Saiful Islam to life imprisonment after the trial proved his guilt. Saiful Islam was released on bail from Dinajpur District Jail on February 19, 8 years and 4 months after the incident. According to an application filed with the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal of Dinajpur, the High Court granted Saiful Islam’s bail application on January 28.
The child’s father expressed satisfaction over the arrest of the accused. He told Prothom Alo that he was very happy that RAB acted promptly and arrested the accused. He feels very good. The insecurity they were suffering from because the accused was out on bail; He thinks that has been resolved. He said, “Now I want the life sentence that has been given to be implemented.”
