A 20-year-old man was allegedly raped by his neighbor, Sayeed, 40, in the Shahi Mosque area of Bandar Upazila, Narayanganj.
– The incident occurred on March 8, and the victim’s mother filed a case with Bandar Police Station on March 11.
– The case was recorded under Section 377 of the Penal Code, 1860, which criminalizes sodomy rather than rape.
– In Bangladesh, male victims of sexual assault can only file cases under Section 377, which carries less severe punishment compared to rape.
– Under Section 375 of the Penal Code, rape is only recognized when the victim is a woman, and the crime is punishable when committed by a man against a woman.
– Male children under 16 can seek justice under the Nari O Shishu Nirjatan Daman Ain of 2000, but male rape is still not legally acknowledged.
– The victim is a simple-minded individual who was lured to the perpetrator’s house and raped.
– The perpetrator threatened to kill the victim if he disclosed the matter.
– Members of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) alleged they were attacked by local BNP activists after protesting the attempted cover-up of the incident.
– A complaint was filed with the Bandar Police Station regarding the attack.
Reporting Date: 12 March, 2025
Source: The Business Standard
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