Four suspects named in case over rape of tourist in Cox’s Bazar

Tanvir Shahjahan, London:
A man from Dhaka’s Jatrabari has named four suspects and accused three unidentified people in a case over the alleged gang-rape of his wife in the resort town of Cox’s Bazar during a family trip.

The four named suspects are Ashikul Islam Ashik, Israfel Hoda Joy, Riaz Uddin Chhoton, and Babu, who was identified only by a single name.

Tourist police were tasked with investigating the case after it was filed on Thursday, said Mohammad Hasanuzzaman, Cox’s Bazar superintendent of police.

Police have arrested Riaz Uddin, the manager of Zia Guest Inn where the alleged incident took place on Wednesday, on charges of abetting the crime.

The three other suspects are residents of Cox’s Bazar and other districts. The Rapid Action Battalion said they were identified from the hotel’s security camera footage.

The 25-year old woman travelled to Cox’s Bazar with her husband and 8-month-old child on Wednesday.

Her husband and an unknown man had an altercation that afternoon after they bumped into each other at the crowded Laboni Point market. Later that day, a group took the victim’s child and husband hostage in front of the Tourist Golf Course.

Three men then took the woman behind a tea stall near the Golf Course and raped her.

Later, the victim said they took her to the hotel and raped her once again while threatening to kill her husband and child.

The woman was able to shout for help through the window and was let out of the room. RAB went to the hotel and rescued her after receiving a call. They then rescued her husband and son from in front of the Tourist Golf Course.