Two dancers gang-raped after being lured to wedding ceremony

Two female dancers, one of them a minor, were allegedly gang-raped while travelling by boat after being hired to perform at a wedding ceremony in Sarail upazila of Brahmanbaria.

Police have arrested a young man in connection with the incident, according to the police and the complaint filed with Sarail Police Station.

The incident reportedly took place between Thursday afternoon and evening in the Titas River near Shahbazpur in Sarail upazila.

The two victims are residents of Chandina in Cumilla and work as professional dancers, performing at events in different parts of the country on a contractual basis.

According to the case statement, a young man named Rakib Mia obtained their mobile phone number from their Facebook page and contacted them to perform at a wedding ceremony in Shahbazpur.

The two women reached Sarail Bishwaroad on Thursday afternoon after agreeing to perform for Tk9,000. Rakib and his associates then allegedly took them in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw to a place beneath a bridge in Shahbazpur.

They were subsequently put on a motorised boat on the pretext of taking them quickly to the wedding venue, the complaint said.

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When the boat reached the middle of the Titas River, the boatman allegedly switched off the engine. Rakib and his associates then took the two women inside the boat's covered section and allegedly gang-raped them.

A male member accompanying the women tried to intervene, but the accused allegedly threatened to kill him while displaying sharp weapons, according to the case statement.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Brahmanbaria Md Jahangir Alam said they had arrested one of the accused and were investigating the allegations against the other suspects.

Further details about the case and the identities of the victims have not been disclosed to protect their privacy.