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Bangladesh students protest after 25-year-old raped in Cumilla; 5 arrested

A woman was allegedly raped by BNP local leader Fazor Ali in Cumilla’s Muradnagar on the night of June 26, 2025.

Fazor Ali, known for stalking the woman, allegedly broke into her home, raped her at knifepoint, and threatened to kill her if she spoke out.

A torchlight procession lit up Dhaka University’s campus this Sunday as students rallied in protest over a rape case in Muradnagar, Cumilla. The Democratic Students’ Alliance (DSA) led the march from the TSC to the Raju sculpture, reported Prothom Alo, demanding exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of the assault on a 25‑year‑old mother.

DSA leaders warned that the interim government cannot evade responsibility for “an unsafe environment for women” across Bangladesh .

In a related development, the High Court has ordered immediate protection for the Muradnagar survivor and demanded that all photos and video footage of her be removed from social media within 24 hours . In response to the petition filed by lawyer Mir AKM Nurunnabi, the court directed authorities to report progress in the case within 15 days .

Following the High Court’s directive, law enforcement officials arrested the main suspect, 36-year-old Md Fazor Ali early on Sunday . Four others —Sumon, Romzan, Md Arif, and Md Anik— were held for filming and circulating the footage of the incident. Cumilla SP Nazir Ahmed Khan confirmed that legal action would be taken under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000 .

What had happened

A woman was allegedly raped by Fazor Ali, a local leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), in Muradnagar upazila of Cumilla district on the night of June 26, 2025. According to the police and case statements cited by The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, the incident took place while the woman was staying at her father’s house with her children for the Hari Seva festival.

Her husband was reportedly working in Dubai at the time.

Fazor Ali, who was known for stalking the woman during her previous visits to the village, allegedly broke into the house at night, raped her at knifepoint, and threatened to kill her if she disclosed the assault. Locals rushed to the scene after hearing the woman’s screams and physically confronted Ali, but he managed to flee, despite being injured, the police said.

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A case was filed the next day under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. The survivor underwent medical tests at Cumilla Medical College Hospital, and a formal investigation was launched by Muradnagar police. According to the officials, Fazor Ali was arrested from Dhaka’s Saydabad area early Sunday morning.

The case took a disturbing turn when a video of the survivor, reportedly recorded by bystanders during the immediate aftermath of the incident, was circulated on social media, triggering public outrage.

(Sources: Prothom Alo, The Daily Star)

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