A woman in Noakhali’s Hatia upazila reportedly endured rape and torture, leading to the filing of a general diary on Sunday. The victim underwent a forensic test at Noakhali General Hospital two days after being admitted on Saturday.
Initially, the hospital faced challenges in conducting the tests due to the absence of a formal complaint from the victim’s family or the police. However, after the National Human Rights Commission intervened on Sunday, urging Hatia police to take legal action, a general diary was filed that night.
Md Saiful Alam, the officer-in-charge of Hatia Police Station, confirmed the filing of the general diary and the request for a medical report. He mentioned that if a formal complaint is submitted by the family, a regular case will be registered.
Dr. Shirin Sultana, leading the medical team handling the case, informed reporters that tests were carried out following the police’s directive. Samples have been sent to the Noakhali Government Medical College laboratory for DNA testing, with results anticipated within three to five days.
While medical examinations in such cases should ideally occur within 72 hours, legal complexities caused a delay, according to MA Wadud, a sub-inspector at the hospital’s One-Stop Crisis Centre (OCC). Dr. Maryam Simi, Noakhali Civil Surgeon, emphasized the importance of collecting forensic evidence promptly, even if the ideal window of 72 hours has passed.
The 32-year-old victim claimed she was raped and tortured at her residence in Hatia on February 13 for supporting a political candidate. Allegations pointed towards local BNP activists, including Jubo Dal leader Rahman Hossain, as the perpetrators. However, Hossain denied any involvement, stating he was attacked by supporters of a different party on the same night and provided medical records to support his claim.
