Teenage girl jumps into river to escape rape

A teenage girl on Sunday jumped into the turbulent Meghna River from the Karnaphuli-13 launch to escape a rape attempt.

About three hours later, a fishing trawler rescued the girl and admitted her to the Tajumuddin Hospital of Bhola. The girl, a resident of Teliar Char in Tajumuddin upazila, was going to Dhaka in search of work.

"From the moment I got on the launch, some of the staff started harassing me. At one point, they started dragging me into the launch cabin to rape me. So, I jumped into the river," the girl said.

"The launch authorities dropped a buoy to rescue me, but I could not catch it due to the strong currents. Later, the launch left for Dhaka without rescuing me," she added.

Raihan, a fisherman who was onboard the trawler that rescued the girl, said, "While preparing our trawler for fishing, we heard someone screaming from the middle of the river. We went there and rescued a girl. The locals later admitted her to the hospital."

Al Noman, Tajumuddin Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), said the hospital has been asked to provide the girl with all the necessary treatment. 

Tajumuddin Police Station Officer-in-Charge SM Ziaul Haque said legal action would be taken after taking the girl's statement. 

"We will find her guardians and hand her over to them," he added.

When asked, Karnaphuli-13 launch owner Md Salauddin Mia said no staff of the launch had been involved in the incident. 

"The staff said that some boys in the seats next to the girl were harassing her," he said.