All accused in Sylhet rape case arrested
All eight accused in Sylhet MC College rape case are now in custody, six of whom are on police remand
Police on Tuesday evening arrested Tarekul Islam Tarek, the last accused in the Sylhet MC College rape case who had been absconding. He was picked up from Sunamganj's Chhatak.
With this arrest, all eight accused in the gang rape case are now in police custody.
Earlier in the day, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of Sylhet Metropolitan Police, Jyotirmoy Sarkar, told the media that he expected Tarek to be arrested at any time.
In another development on Tuesday, a Sylhet court granted police a five-day remand to interrogate three accused in the rape case.
The investigation officer of the case produced the suspects – Shah Md Mahbubur Rahman Roni, Md Rajon and Md Aynul – before the court with a seven-day remand plea.
Sylhet Shah Paran police brought the trio to the court on Tuesday noon amid tight security. A large number of protesters turned up at the court premises and chanted slogans against the suspects.
Assistant Public Prosecutor, Khokon Kumar Datta, told the press that like the day before, no lawyer agreed to stand for the suspects in court.
On Monday, another three suspects of the rape case – Saifur Rahman, Arjun Laskar and Rabiul Islam – were also placed on a five-day remand.
Last Friday, a housewife was allegedly gang-raped by Chhatra League men at the MC College dormitory while she and her husband were on a visit to the college campus.
A group of six to seven culprits dragged her into the dormitory and raped her after beating and tying up the husband, police said. The husband on Saturday filed a case with local police station, identifying eight people.
The accused are -- Tarekul Islam Tarek, Shah Md Mahbubur Rahman Roni, Arjun Laskar, Rabiul Islam and Mahfuzur Rahman Masum. Besides, three unidentified persons were also accused in the case.
Though police on Monday night arrested Mahfuzur Rahman Masum – one of the accused named in the case filed by the victim's husband – he was not produced before the court until Tuesday evening.
Ministry probe team visits MC College
The three-member probe committee constituted by the Education Ministry arrived at the college campus Tuesday. It will look into any negligence by the college authorities.
The committee members sat with the college principal Saleh Ahmed this afternoon and visited the scene of the alleged crime.
The committee members are -- Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, Director (Admin) Shahidul Kabir Chowdhury, Assistant-Director Lokman Hossain, and Deputy-Director Nur-e-Alam.
The college authorities also formed a three-member probe committee following the incident and they will consult with the Education Ministry's inquiry team as well.
The Chief of the MC College probe committee, Prof Anwaruzzaman, said they have begun their inquiry.
He said, "We have spoken to the witnesses and hope to submit the report within seven days."