Elderly Man Accused of Raping Child With Intellectual Disability in Banshkhali

A 65-year-old man has been accused of raping a 10-year-old child with an intellectual disability in Banshkhali, Chattogram. The child is receiving treatment at Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

The accused, Foyez Ullah, also known as Fazullah Dakait, is on the run, police said.

According to the case filed by the child’s mother, the alleged assault took place Thursday afternoon, Aug. 20, at an abandoned tea stall in the Hajirkhil area of Ward 2 of Saral Union. The case was filed at Banshkhali Police Station on Friday, bringing the incident to public attention.

The accused is the son of Manaf of the same area. Local residents have previously accused him of multiple marriages and causing disturbances in the community, according to the report.

The child’s uncle, Ahmad Ullah, said the girl’s parents had gone to Saral Bazar to collect relief materials, including corrugated metal sheets, allocated to people affected by flooding.

He alleged that the accused took the child, who had been playing near her home, to an abandoned tea stall nearby and assaulted her. Other children reportedly heard her cries and alerted nearby residents. The accused fled before local people reached the scene, he said.

The child’s family also alleged that they had received threats after the incident and feared retaliation if they pursued the case. They called for a full investigation and appropriate punishment if the allegations are proven.

The child’s mother, Yasmin Akter, said she filed the case at Banshkhali Police Station the day after the alleged assault and took her daughter to Chattogram Medical College Hospital on Friday.

She also alleged that people had offered money to settle the matter locally, but the family rejected the proposal.

Banshkhali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Rabiul Haque said police had launched an operation to arrest the accused.

He said the child was receiving treatment at Chattogram Medical College Hospital and that police would support the family with medical care and the necessary legal procedures.