Rape ‘fine’ costs Tk 90,000

A rape allegation involving a minor girl in Madhabpur, Habiganj, was reportedly settled through an informal village arbitration (shalish), rather than being referred to the authorities, raising serious concerns about the victim’s access to justice.

The accused was reportedly fined Tk 90,000 at the shalish, but the victim’s family has so far received only Tk 20,000.

The incident allegedly took place on the afternoon of August 20 in Goalnagar village under Adaair Union.

The accused, Hanif Mia, son of Raja Mia of Muradpur village in Haripur Union, Narsingnagar upazila of Brahmanbaria, was visiting his in-laws in the area at the time.

According to the victim’s family, Hanif allegedly sexually assaulted the girl while other family members were unaware.

Her cries alerted her mother, who arrived at the scene, prompting the accused to flee. Relatives later took the girl to Habiganj Sadar Hospital for treatment.

Instead of reporting the allegation to police, a shalish was convened last Wednesday, reportedly mediated by local Union Parishad member Abedur Rahman Abed.

A former UP chairman from Haripur Union in Narsingnagar and several other local dignitaries were also present.

The meeting reportedly resulted in the alleged criminal offence being settled through a financial penalty of Tk 90,000 imposed on the accused.

The victim’s mother said the family was too poor to pursue a case through the courts and that they were effectively compelled to accept the arrangement through the UP member. She said the family had received only Tk 20,000 of the imposed fine so far.

Abedur Rahman Abed confirmed that local dignitaries had attended the shalish and acknowledged that Tk 20,000 had been paid to the victim’s family. He said another date had been fixed for payment of the remaining amount.

Legal experts, however, said such an arrangement cannot replace criminal proceedings in a rape case.

Lawyer Mozammel Haq Rasel said rape is under no circumstances a compoundable offence and that legal proceedings are the only appropriate course of action in such cases.

The incident highlights the risks faced by vulnerable victims when serious allegations of sexual violence are handled through informal arbitration rather than the formal justice system.

Poverty, social pressure and local influence can leave victims and their families with little practical ability to pursue legal remedies.

The immediate concern is therefore not merely whether the imposed fine will eventually be paid, but whether the alleged offence will be investigated through due legal process and whether the minor victim will receive proper protection, support and access to justice.

Madhabpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Sohel Rana confirmed that no one from the victim’s family had yet contacted police.