"They found her in a bloodied state."
A 19-year-old man was arrested for raping a 10-year-old girl under the Shahbag metro railway station in Dhaka.
The incident occurred around 8 pm on January 15, 2025, near Birdem Hospital.
The victim, who sells flower garlands for a living, was found in a bloody state.
Mohammad Tarekul Islam, the investigation inspector of Ramna police station, confirmed the arrest of a suspect named Raihan.
According to the inspector, the child was raped in a makeshift hut located under the metro station.
Her screams alerted passers-by, who detained the young man before police arrived.
Police rescued the victim and admitted her to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
She is currently receiving treatment at the One-Stop Crisis Centre (OCC).
Witnesses described the horrifying scene, with one street child, Mobarak, recounting how a crowd gathered after hearing the child’s cries.
He stated: “At night, many people, including me, gathered under the metro station after hearing the screams of the child.
“When I went there, I saw her lying there in a bloody condition under the stairs of the station. And people had caught the boy.”
Inspector Tarekul revealed that the victim sells flowers and lives with her grandmother in the Shahbag area.
The accused, Raihan, is reportedly a drug addict and lives on the streets.
A case has been filed, and further investigations are underway.
Public outrage followed news of the rape, with many demanding the strictest punishment for Raihan.
Critics expressed anger over the public nature of the crime, highlighting the growing risks faced by girls in Bangladesh.
A user said: “Crazy to think even a highly dense metro station in the heart of the capital isn’t safe.”
One commented: “They found her in a bloodied state… a 10-year-old girl just trying to make a living.
“I pray that one day I’m gonna see the announcement for public executions regarding rapists.”
Another wrote:
“Law and order will never be maintained in this country. How much more will this happen? How much more?
“What was the fault of this little girl?”
Unfortunately, this incident is part of a broader crisis of violence against girls in the country.
From January to August 2024, 224 girls in Bangladesh were reported to have been raped, according to the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum.
Syeda Ahsana Zaman, national coordinator of the forum, shared these figures in a report on girl child safety.
She noted that despite laws allowing the death penalty for rape, such crimes persist.
Among the 224 cases, 134 involved single perpetrators, while 33 were gang rapes. Nine victims were disabled.
The report also revealed that 35 girls were lured into rape through “love traps” and 32 were victims of attempted rape.
Additionally, 81 girls were killed in the same period due to family conflicts, past enmities, or sexual abuse.
Sexual harassment, trafficking, and kidnapping also remain alarmingly common.
Ahsana emphasised the urgent need for stronger preventive measures and enforcement of existing laws.
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