Protests erupt after rape of Catholic teacher
The young woman is 26 years old and teaches at Majibnagor Amrokanon High school in the diocese of Khulna. She went to a nearby town for a public exam for teachers. The headmaster and his friend raped her in a hotel room and then threatened to post the video of the rape on Facebook.
Dhaka (AsiaNews) - Hundreds of Christians protested yesterday in the streets of Dhaka, denouncing the brutal rape of a Catholic teacher by the Muslim principal of the school where she works and his friend. The sexual violence against the 26-year-old woman who shall remain anonymous, took place on May 13 in Kushtia in western Bangladesh.
The teacher was raped and then threatened to with public humiliation through the posting of the video of the rape online Facebook. Nirmal Rozario, general secretary of the Bangladesh Christian Association, told AsiaNews: "We have heard about the incident and ask the local administration for justice. We want that the attackers be punished. "
The woman belongs to Bhabarpara parish, in the diocese of Khulna (south-west of the capital). She teaches at Majibnagor Amrokanon High school in which Shariful Islam, a Muslim, is principal On May 12 she had gone into the town of Kushtia, about 20 km away from the school, for a public exam for teachers. The headmaster accompanied her.
The two spent the night in two separate rooms of a hotel, but the next morning the headmaster and his friend forced open the door of the room and raped the girl. Then they threatened to post pictures of her rape on the social network, if she talked to anyone.
The victim was hospitalized in serious condition, and there a journalist who was present in the structure warned the parish of the violence. Fr. Domenic K. Halder, the Bhabarpara parish priest, told AsiaNews: "We were advised by a local newspaper. We sought help from the local police for the victim. The girl is very frightened. We pray for her, she is still in hospital”.
Relatives of the victim have filed a complaint against the rapists and yesterday Shariful Islam, the main culprit was arrested.
Christian activists have condemned the brutal violence. Rosaline Costa said: "I condemn the behavior of the principal and ask for an exemplary punishment to be imposed ".
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