Hill Voice, 23 August 2024, Khagrachari: Yesterday (22 August 2024), a Chakma woman (40) was reported to have been raped by Bengali settlers in Taltali Para area of Ward No.3 of Patachara Union of Ramgarh Upazila in Khagrachari district.

According to the relevant sources, eight Bengali settlers went to the house of the Jumma woman, among them seven miscreants forcibly took the woman from the house and took her to the nearby forest. It is believed that the victim was gang-raped.

The victim woman and her daughter are said to have known at least 3 of the 8 Bengali settlers. They are – (1) Md Yusuf (22), son of Md Ismail, (2) Rana and (3) Musharraf. It is said that all their houses are in Comilla Colony of Nakaba Rasulpur area of Ward No.3 of Patachara Union.

According to the victim’s family sources, the victim woman and her teenage daughter were staying at that house last night. The house is slightly isolated from the main village. Settlers have orchards around the house. Every day the settlers wanted to make trouble with them. Sometimes cows and goats were tied in their house field. Around 11 pm yesterday, a group of 8 Bengali settlers entered the house of the mother and daughter and separated the mother and daughter. 7 Settlers grabbed the mother and forcefully took her to the nearby forest. Leaving the girl at home, a man named Md Yusuf was left with her. When Yusuf tried to tie a cloth over the girl’s face, the girl managed to escape after struggling.

The girl then somehow crossed the Pailak canal to inform the villagers of the main Taltali village. On hearing the news, the villagers unitedly came forward and found the girl’s mother staying at home in disheveled condition. Later, the local people searched the entire forest and the area around the house. Then the miscreants ran away.

According to the immediate contact, the daughter of the victim believed that the miscreants had taken her mother to the forest and raped her.

When the local residents told a UP member of Rasulpur area last night, he decided that an arbitration meeting would be held today with the village elders.

Till the time of writing this report, it is not known whether a case has been registered against the miscreants and whether any of them have been arrested by the police.