Mili Malaker (15) Gang Raped
For 7 days: An investigation Report

Investigation Report on Abduction & Gang Rape of Mili Malaker (15) ----By Rabin Ghosh, GHRD, Bangladesh (30-31st May 2008): I, Adv.Rabindra Ghosh along with Adv.Sawpan Roychowdhury, Ms.Shukla Bhattacharjee, Rakesh Roy, Dulal Borman, Tusher Saha, Ajoy Dey and Arabindu Barman (Bindu) investigated the published news of a rape in "Janakantha", "Jugantor" & “Jugaveri", all 6th May 2008 and also another local daily "Sylheter Dak" on 20th May 2008.
Victim & Perpetrators
Name of the victim: Ms. Mili Rani Malakar (15)
Victim’s father: Khoka Malakar (55), a blind handicapped man
Victim's mother: Mrs. Prativa Rani Malakar (45)
Dates of incident: April 25 – May 02, 2008
Place of occurrence: Bhattapara Government Primary School, Zokiganj, Sylhet.
Names of alleged Perpetrators: a) Abdul Lalif (60), Ward Member and local BNP leader b) Moinul Hossain (45), c) Rafique (40), d) Rahat (35), local Chatra Dal leader & an d) and Unknown person – all of Jakiganj, Sylhet.
Ground Information
Zokiganj police station is situated within Sylhet district eastern side of Bangladesh adjacent to Indian Border near Assam. 5% of the total population of this area would be minority community. Ms. Mili Rani Malakar aged about 15 years is a destitute adolescent minority Hindu girl.  Her father, Khoka Malakar is blind and handicapped citizen of Bangladesh not capable to walk and see, mother, Prativa Rani Malakar is maid-servant nearby and they all lives hands to mouth.   Perpetrator Abdul Lalif is known to this Hindu family and he used to visit their house often. Abdul Latif tried to build a relationship with the girl and on the day of abduction he offered the girl a job. Instead he took her in a room near Zokiganj where he and other perpetrators raped her from April 25th to May 2nd. On May 2nd 2008 at about noon the victim was found unconscious near Bhattapara Government Primary School at Zokiganj.
Investigation
We have investigated the matter on May 30-31. 2008. We had visited Zokiganj Police station, victim's home, talked with local people, took video statements of the victim. The matter is as follows:  The victim was interviewed by Ms.Shukla Bhattacharjee and Adv.Rabindra Ghosh separately and she disclosed categorically that she was allured by Md.Abdul Latif in the name of giving her a job. Abdul Latif took her at a remotest place at Zokiganj and kept her in a solitary room and he along with others raped her one after another for about a week or more. She told that they use force to rape her. She also disclosed that the perpetrators locked her from outside. She cried & begged to leave the room but the perpetrators prevented her not to while they gang-raped her day & night. When finally she became senseless they left her near the school. Some one saw and recognized her, sent her home. Local people sent her to Osmani Medical College, Sylhet. From the medical college she filed FIR against the perpetrators responsible for abduction and gang rape. The victim also complained that she was slapped by Sub Inspector of Police to intimidate her not to disclose the names of the rapists.
 
The incident was too pathetic and the blind disabled father of the victim was given Taka 10,000/ (About US $150/00) by one Gopi Roy of UK through HRCBM-UK which was published in local daily.  We have also met with the Superintendent of Police and Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet and appraised the situation. Zokiganj police could not arrest the perpetrators yet. Mr. Harun-ur-Rashid Khan, Deputy Commissioner was not interested to talk to us while we met with him at his official residence on 31st May and he took side of UNO Jaintapur Md. Zillur Rahman Chowdhury who threatened us through mobile telephone not to investigate the matter of minority repression. I made a general diary against the UNO Jaintapur for the threat at Jaintapur PS. We also went to the Zokiganj police station, met with OC and took statements. We also asked him why FIR was not lodged in time and why perpetrators have not been arrested, he could not reply.
Suggestions
a) the perpetrators should be arrested immediately and brought to justice.
b) A judicial inquiry team should be formed to investigate the crime.
c) Compensation needs to be paid to victim and the distressed family.
d) Government should protect human rights defenders & distressed family
e) The Minorities of Bangladesh should be protected.
Prepared and submitted by Adv.Rabindra Ghosh
Observer-Global Human Rights Defense, Dhaka, Bangladesh