Police arrests alleged rapist of girl whipped to death in Bangladesh

SHARIATPUR, BANGLADESH: Shariatpur Police on Wednesday arrested the alleged rapist of the 15-year-old girl whipped to death last January in central Bangladesh, the state-run BSS news agency reported.

A man identified only as Mahub was arrested at the outskirts of the capital Dhaka after a massive manhunt. Mahub allegedly raped his cousin Hena Akter, 15. However, the girl was whipped publicly due to a fatwa issued by self-appointed arbitrators in the Naria village in Shariatpur district.

Akter was sentenced to 100 lashes for allegedly having an illicit relation with her married cousin despite the allegations that she was forced by Mahub. After receiving about 70 lashes she was taken unconscious to a hospital in Shariatpur where she died.

The arrest came after a fresh port-mortem analysis on the body of Akter revealed that she died due to the heavy wounds inflicted and the high amount of blood lost. The body was exhumed on Sunday night in compliance with a High Court order.

The Court determined that a fresh port-mortem was needed as the original autopsy report said that no mark of injury was found on the body. After the analysis, authorities said that the teen's death was now considered a homicide.

Mahub, 40, was arrested at an abandoned house at Savar and was taken for questioning. Police is currently looking for the other suspects linked to the unfair arbitration and lashing nationwide.

A similar incident took place last October when a 45-year- old woman and a man were whipped to death after arbitration held in Tanore in northwestern Rajshahi.

(BNO NEWS )