Jamaat activist held in Hatia over alleged rape of third-grader

Police have detained a 42-year-old man after he allegedly raped a nine-year-old third-grade student at his pharmacy in Hatia upazila of Noakhali on Sunday morning.

A video purportedly showing the incident has since circulated on social media.

The man, identified as Helal Uddin, was detained by local residents and handed over to police after the incident at Adarsha Gram Bazar in Harani union around 9am.

Helal, also known as Helal Master, is the son of Belayet Khalifa of Adarsha Gram in Ward 4 of Harani union. He runs a pharmacy at the local market and previously taught at Adarsha Gram High School before leaving the profession two to three years ago.

According to police and local residents, Helal allegedly lured the girl to his pharmacy and took her to a back room, where he allegedly raped her.

A witness reportedly noticed the incident and recorded a video through a broken section of the tin wall. The video later spread on social media.

When local residents confronted Helal, he allegedly tried to flee from the pharmacy. They caught him and handed him over to the Chairman Ghat Police Outpost.

Local residents alleged that a community hearing had previously been held against Helal on 4 August over an allegation that he had attempted to rape a child in the same area. They said he was fined Tk10,000 and punished with 50 strokes.

Residents also said Helal had previously served as forest and environment affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Awami Jubo League, an affiliate organisation of the Awami League, and had participated in various Jamaat-e-Islami programmes after the change of government.

However, Hafez Tarif-ul Mowla, ameer of Harani union Jamaat, denied that Helal was a Jamaat worker. He said Helal had previously been involved with the Jubo League and joined a large procession after 5 August to protect himself.

Salahuddin Rashed, in-charge of Chairman Ghat Police Outpost, said police took Helal into custody after receiving information about the incident.

Kabir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Hatiya Police Station, said the girl's mother would file a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. The case-filing process was underway, he said.

The girl would be sent to Noakhali 250-Bed General Hospital for a medical examination, the OC added.