Rab yesterday identified three young men suspected of raping a tourist while their cohorts held her husband and child hostage in Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday evening.

The rape incident at the country’s prime tourist destination sparked outrage on social media. Netizens criticised law enforcers for failing to provide safety to tourists.

Rab sources said the suspects identified from CCTV footage are: Ashiqul Islam Ashiq, Israfil Huda Joy, and Mehedi Hasan Babu. All of them are from Madhya Baharchhara in Cox’s Bazar town.

The woman, her husband, and their eight-month-old child went to Cox’s Bazar on holiday on Wednesday morning from the capital.

They checked into a hotel and went to Laboni Beach in the afternoon, reports our correspondent in the district.

While shopping at a nearby market in the evening, the victim’s husband got into an argument with three men, one of whom he had bumped into, the victim told Rab after being rescued.

Her husband at one stage begged pardon and left, she said.

“Later, a group that included the three youths ambushed us near the golf course area. They threatened to stab me and separated me from my husband and child,” said the victim.

“They took away my husband and child in a CNG-run auto rickshaw and took me to a secluded place at knifepoint where they raped me. They threatened to kill my husband and child,” she added.

She said later the men took her to Zia Guest Inn in an auto-rickshaw and gang raped her again confining her to a room on the second floor.

The rapists then left the room, locking it from the outside. They threatened to kill her husband and child if she disclosed the matter to anyone, the victim said.

The victim managed to open a window of the room and contact a hotel guest who unlocked the door.

After she called 999 and Rab-15, Rab officers rescued her around 1:30am yesterday.

The victim’s husband said, “I have apologised to them many times. I even held their hands and feet … but they did not return my wife.

“My wife is not well now. I’m worried about her,” he told The Daily Star yesterday.

Suspect Ashiqul was accused in over a dozen cases, including for murder, robbery, mugging, and extortion, filed previously with Cox’s Bazar Sadar Model Police Station, said Officer-in-Charge Sheikh Munir-ul-Gias.

Joy and Babu were also accused in two and four cases filed earlier, police sources said.

Locals said Ashiqul walked out of jail on bail around three months ago.

Locals said the three men were close aides to Cox’s Bazar Zila Chhatra League President SM Saddam Hossain.

Distancing himself from the trio, Saddam told The Daily Star last night that the men sometimes visited him since he lived in their neighbourhood.

OC Munir said the victim was being treated at a hospital.

Lt Col Khairul Islam Sarkar, commanding officer of Rab -15, said, “We have identified the rapists scrutinising the hotel’s CCTV footage and are conducting drives to arrest them.”

Rab has detained the manager of Zia Guest Inn, Riazuddin Chhoton.

Superintendent of Police in Cox’s Bazar Hasanuzzaman refuted that the victim called 999 for help. He added, “We are looking into how such an incident [gang rape] took place.”

Forensic tests have been carried out on the victim and a case was filed accusing seven people, three of them unidentified, he said.

PROTEST ON

Women’s rights activists Shireen Huq said it is misogyny and banditry at its worst.

“That such an incident is possible is beyond one’s imagination.

“I don’t know whether to cry or to scream. All our protests appear to be falling on deaf ears.”

The absence of rule of law gives licence for the most despicable behaviour from those who assume they are entitled to impunity, she said.

Expressing concern and resentment over the incident, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad demanded a fair probe, immediate arrest of the culprits, and security for the victim’s family.

Jatiya Nari Andolan and Sammilito Samajik Andolan also protested the incident.

ANOTHER RAPED IN BANDARBAN

Police in Lama, Bandarban, are looking for two men accused of rape and abetting rape of a pregnant woman.

Joynal, 32, a resident of Ruposhi Para, with the help of a man who is yet to be identified, tied the 28-year-old woman with a rope and raped her early yesterday, locking her two children in a room, police said, quoting the case filed with Lama Police Station.

Shahidul Islam, officer-in-charge of the police station, said, “Two criminals entered the house around 2:30am. Joynal, a local trader, raped the woman and left the place around 3:00am leaving the woman tied to a tree. We rescued the mother after being informed. We are trying to arrest the criminals.”

The victim’s family sources said the criminals also took away valuables and gold ornaments.

(The photos of the three accused used in this story were provided by Rab)