Sylhet Swecchasebak League leader removed from organisation

A leader of Sylhet city unit Swecchasebak League, voluntary organization of ruling Awami League, has been removed from his post on charge of raping a girl a few days back.

Abdus Salam, President of No.11 ward Swechasebak League, was removed from his post after an emergency meeting of the organisation on Sunday night, said Debangshu Das Mithu, general secretary of Sylhet city unit Swechasebak League.

He also said that the executive body of the unit was declared dissolved in this regard.

The victim’s mother filed a case under Women and Children Repression and Prevention Act naming two Swechasebak League leaders, including Salam and some unidentified individuals with city’s Kotwali police station on Friday night.

The other accused is Abdul Manaf, 38, member of the city unit of Swechasebak League.

According to the case statement, the victim worked at a bottle factory and lived with her family in a city colony. In January, her family went their village home in Habiganj, leaving her home alone.

One of her neighbours named Rekha begum introduced the victim to Salam.

On January 7, Rekha took the girl to Salam’s residence in Laldighi area where he kept the girl captive for 22 days and raped her repeatedly allured her by offering a good job.

Victim’s family returned from the village but didn’t find her in the residence. Then they attempt to file GD with the police station but Rekha barred them and took them to Salam who assured them of rescuing her from a London expatriate family.

As the family members pressurized Salam about the identity of the family, Salam locked into an altercation and the rape incident came in light. Later, he assured the girl of marrying her.

But Salam picked up the girl and sent her to Habiganj with the help of his cohort Abdul Manaf. A few people, including the duo, again raped the girl there.

On March 26, one of the relatives of the victim rescued her from the accused.

Meanwhile, no one was arrested in connection with the incident.