In a deeply disturbing incident that has sparked national and international outrage, a Hindu woman was brutally gang-raped in her own home in the Muradnagar area of Cumilla district, Bangladesh, on June 26, 2025. The assailants not only committed the heinous crime but also filmed the assault and circulated the video online, treating it like a &ldquo;war trophy.&rdquo;
The main accused, Fazar Ali&mdash;a local political figure associated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)&mdash;along with four others, has been arrested. Human rights group Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) condemned the crime and said the attackers forcibly entered the woman&rsquo;s home, raped her, and attempted to humiliate her further by distributing the footage.
According to HRCBM, law enforcement agencies delayed registering the First Information Report (FIR) until June 29 and failed to conduct a mandatory medical examination within the first 24 hours. Shockingly, officials reportedly told the survivor that seeking medical treatment was "up to her," an act that the rights group called a blatant violation of legal and ethical procedures.
Despite public pressure, misinformation circulated by certain Islamist groups allegedly attempted to paint the assault as consensual. However, following backlash, one of the primary suspects and a few others involved in sharing the video were arrested&mdash;though several perpetrators remain at large.
The rights body also cited video testimonials from local Muslim residents who allegedly attempted to protect the accused and downplay the incident, contributing to a broader culture of impunity and injustice for minority victims.
HRCBM revealed this was not an isolated event. Since April 2025, at least 13 gang-rape cases targeting Hindu women have been recorded in Cumilla alone. The organization also pointed to a nationwide pattern of forced conversions, abductions, and targeted attacks on minority girls and women.
Families across Bangladesh are reportedly reaching out to HRCBM seeking help to rescue their missing daughters. The group accused mainstream media of silence and noted that without the viral video, this case too might have been suppressed.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is being prepared by HRCBM, demanding a judicial probe into the condition of minority women in Bangladesh. The organization also appealed to international bodies, including the UN, to pressure the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus to ensure justice and accountability.
Saddam Hussain, President of the Bangladesh Students League, strongly condemned the attack. In a statement, he criticized the political environment in the country, which he described as resembling a &ldquo;fascist Islamist regime,&rdquo; and emphasized the daily horrors faced by Hindu minorities. Citing the Cumilla incident as another grim example, he said the woman was attacked at knifepoint, raped, beaten, and her ordeal recorded&mdash;solely because she was a Hindu woman.
In his words, &ldquo;Each day brings new tales of temples desecrated, families displaced, and daughters brutalized. The silence around these crimes is deafening. How long must minorities in Bangladesh endure before the world truly takes notice?&rdquo; [Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed]

Hindu Woman Gang-Raped in Bangladesh, 5 Arrested

BNP-linked politician among five held for brutal rape, video circulated, sparking global outrage

Woman Gang-Raped in Bangladesh, 5 Arrested

BNP-linked politician among five held for brutal rape, video circulated, sparking global outrage

June 30, 2025 | 17:04 IST