On 8th August in Ruma Upazila of Bandarban, a school-going child was repeatedly gang-raped and intimidated throughout the month by five men from the same area. According to police and local sources, the fifth-grader was raped by one man at first, then it developed into a month-long gang rape and intimidation after the first rapist had informed his friends. The victim is now receiving medical treatment from Bandarban Sadar Hospital.
The perpetrators in this case are Kyhlawng Marma, Uhaising Marma, Kasyawng Marma, Chohai Marma, and Kyawngsai Marma, all residents of Alechu Para in Ward No. 2 of Paindu Union. A rape case has been filed against all five, but only the former three were arrested on Tuesday night during various raids conducted in Ruma, according to The Dhaka Tribune. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Ruma Police Station, Md Sohrawardi, said that they were trying to nab the remaining two suspects.
A member of Ward No. 2 of the local union, Gongbase Marma, attempted to settle the matter informally by holding a salish and fining the accused Tk. 50,000. The accused were asked to complete this transaction to the victim’s family within a few days. He informed The Daily Star upon contact that they had held the salish at the behest of the victim’s family and local residents. The viral news of the Salish on social media had led the police to Ruma, where they subsequently conducted the arrests.
This case highlights the troubling nature of a community’s response to sexual violence. The locals’ first response was to hold a salish, not reporting the crime to a formal legal system. This exposes how they prioritize “preserving harmony” in the community over bringing the perpetrators to justice. This treatment of sexual violence against women and children as a local “dispute” blatantly overlooks the severity of the crime, disregards the victim’s right to legal justice and institutional support, and reduces a violent crime to a financial issue worth settling over Tk. 50,000. It is important to keep in mind that the arrests were only made after the news of the Salish went viral. The child may not have even gotten that justice if there had been no such public outcry.
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