The bus traveling on the Dhaka-Rajshahi route was under the control of robbers for nearly three and a half hours during midnight. During this time, female passengers were subjected to harassment and even rape, according to allegations made by passengers on the bus. Based on the passengers' complaints, Natore police arrested the bus driver, his assistant, and the supervisor, and handed them over to the court. It is reported that they have since been released on bail.
BBC Bangla spoke with two passengers who were on the bus on Monday night (February 17). They alleged that at least one person was raped that night.
Since the bus was in motion during the incident, multiple locations have come under scrutiny, including Baraigram in Natore and Mirzapur in Tangail.
Passengers' Account of That Night
Sohag Hasan, a 22-year-old businessman from Baraigram, was traveling with Omar Ali, a fellow businessman from the same area. They had gone to Dhaka for work and were in a hurry to return home that night.
Sohag recounted that the bus was already full, but the driver and his assistant picked up seven or eight more passengers midway. One of them took the driver's seat, while the others moved toward the passengers, holding knives to their throats. They ordered the passengers to keep the lights off and their heads down, threatening to blind anyone who looked up.
Sohag and Omar had 120,000 taka with them. Initially, they handed over 20,000 taka, but the driver and his assistant allegedly informed the robbers that they had more money.
Sohag claimed he was forced to lie on the floor with a rod on his chest until he handed over the rest of the money. During this time, he heard the screams and cries of two female passengers. One of them was a Hindu woman traveling with her husband. The robbers took everything from her and then dragged her to the back of the bus, ignoring her husband's protests. Sohag believes she was raped, as her screams indicated severe distress.
Another female passenger, aged 25-30, was also harassed. The robbers touched her inappropriately while she was seated, and passengers who tried to intervene were threatened.
Another Passenger's Account
Majnu Akand, a 73-year-old molasses trader, was also on the bus. He confirmed hearing the screams and cries of the women, stating that their dignity was violated. He mentioned that two women, aged around 20 and 25-30, were particularly targeted. However, he was unsure if they had filed formal rape complaints with the police.
How the Incident Unfolded
The bus, operated by Unique Road Royals, left Gabtoli in Dhaka around 11:30 PM on February 17. It was carrying 60-65 passengers, more than its seating capacity. Around 2:00 AM, the robbers boarded the bus, possibly in Gazipur or Tangail, and took control. They looted the passengers and left the bus near Nandan Park around 3:30 AM.
Passengers reported the incident to Mirzapur police station around 6:00 AM on February 18. They accused the driver and his assistant of being involved and demanded compensation. The police arrested the driver, assistant, and supervisor but advised passengers to file a case in Gazipur or Tangail, as the incident occurred there.
Police Response
The officer-in-charge (OC) of Baraigram police station, Sirajul Islam, stated that they had no information about any rape allegations. Similarly, the OC of Mirzapur police station, Mosharraf Hossain, denied knowledge of any such incidents. However, passengers insisted that the women had given statements to the police in Baraigram.
Local journalist Halim Khan corroborated the passengers' claims, stating that two women were raped, and others were sexually harassed. However, without the victims' formal complaints, the police could not document the rape allegations.
The arrested driver, assistant, and supervisor were released on bail by Wednesday evening. The police have kept a record of the incident, which could support any future case filed by the victims.
