The police have arrested the main suspect in the rape of a student of Bangladesh University of Professionals, who was attacked while returning home in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka, on October 14.
Sohel Rozario, 37, was arrested early Monday during a police operation in Kaliganj upazila in Gazipur district, said Dhaka District North Detective Branch officer-in-charge Jalal Uddin.
Sohel is a resident of Kamlapur Goyalia area in Savar.
Earlier on Saturday, the police arrested one of his accomplices, Mithu Biswas, 44, and sought seven-day remand.
A Dhaka judicial magistrate court on Sunday granted two-day remand in custody for Mithu, said Savar Model Police officer-in-charge Mohammad Jewel Mia.
Another suspect, Biplob Rozario, 40, remains at large, and the police said that they were working to apprehend him.
According to the case statement filed under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act 2000, the victim was returning home on October 14 evening after tutoring.
On her way back, she was approached by Sohel Rozario, who was reportedly intoxicated and questioned her about various matters. Moments later, two other men鈥擬ithun Biswas and Biplob Rozario鈥攋oined him.
The three followed her, and at around 7:00pm, they allegedly forced her into Sohel鈥檚 house, where she was raped.
The men later threatened her to kill her if she disclosed the incident.
The victim鈥檚 father filed a case on October 16, naming Sohel Rozario and the two others as the accused.
As the students of BUP and other universities came to know about their fellow鈥檚 rape, they held large demonstrations in Savar and Mirpur, demanding the arrest and exemplary punishment of the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, residents of Kamlapur and two nearby villages held a human chain on Sunday afternoon at Savar under the banner of various local and Christian social organisations, including Dharenda Mission Tarun Sangha, and Kamlapur Youth Association.
Speakers at the protest condemned the crime, saying that 鈥榬apists have no religion鈥�.
Bangladesh Christian Association president Nirmol Rozario said, 鈥榃e are ashamed and deeply pained. Even if the offender belongs to our community, he must face the highest punishment under the law. Christianity never tolerates oppression or injustice.鈥�
Students of the BUP, Jahangirnagar University and others have been demonstrating on their campuses, demanding capital punishment of the accused.