ICC Note:
Christians in Bangladesh staged a protests in the country’s capital of Dhaka to speak out against the rape of a Christian school teacher. On May 12, the principal of the victim’s school and another friend, both Muslims, attacked the Christian and raped her. The perpetrators then threatened to distribute a video of the rape if the victim reported the incident to authorities. Despite the threats, reports were made and the principal of the school was arrested. Still, Christians are concerned that justice will not be done in the case because the victim is a Christian and the perpetrator is a Muslim.
5/24/2016 Bangladesh (Christian Daily) – Hundreds of Bangladeshi Christians staged a rally in Dhaka to protest against a Muslim and another man who raped a Catholic woman.
Last Sunday, Bangladeshi Christians gathered together to call for the prosecution of school principal Shariful Islam and another suspect who raped a 26-year-old teacher of Mujibnagar Amrokanon High School. The victim, whose name has not been released, stayed at a hotel in a nearby town where she was taking a required national exam when the alleged rape occurred, according to Crux.
On May 12, Islam and the other man reportedly entered the teacher’s room by force and raped her. Local media said the principal threatened to post photos and videos of the incident on social media if the teacher tells anyone about what happened.
The rape left the woman seriously injured, causing her to be hospitalized. While in the hospital, a journalist who saw her told a local priest named Fr. Domenic Halder about the injuries of the victim, prompting the priest to report the incident to the police.
In an interview with Crux, Fr. Halder said the teacher’s father had already filed a complaint against the two suspects. He added that he wants to condemn the men who raped the woman and that they are now waiting for justice to be served.
While Islam was already charged and arrested for the rape, Fr. Halder does not expect the victim to be given justice immediately.
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