Hill Voice, 9 September 2020, Tangail: The incident of sexual harassment after picking up a 14-year-old tribal girl from the Koch community in Sakhipur of Tangail district was reported to have been settled at the arbitration meeting for Tk. 01 lakh.

Last Saturday on 5 September 2020 night, the girl was forcibly taken away by a young man named Shahjalal (25). Two days later, late on Monday night, family sources said that Shahjalal forcibly picked up the girl when she went out on the night of September 5 at the behest of nature and then sexually harassed her.

Later, when the family members came forward, Shahjalal fled. The girl’s brother Krishna Kumar Barman lodged a complaint with the police on Monday night.

The arbitration meeting was held at the girl’s house on Monday night, two days after the incident. An arbitration meeting was organised in coordination of local UP members and former Chatra League leaders. The meeting decided to give one lakh takas to the girl’s family without giving any punishment to the culprit.

Admitting that he was present at the arbitration meeting, UP member Joynal Abedin said, There was no talk about money during the stay of Fariduzzaman, the former president of Kakrajan Union Chhatra League and I. The matter has been resolved but I don’t know anything about money.

UP Chairman Tariqul Islam Bidyut said a compromise was reached on Monday night. I have also heard of a transaction of one lakh takas.

Sakhipur police sub-inspector, Badiuzzaman said he had not yet heard of any compromise. I have received a written complaint about this incident.