‘Second wife’ files rape case against Mamunul

Former joint secretary general of Hefazat-e-Islam Mamunul Haque has been charged with rape by his alleged 'second wife' Jannat Ara Jharna. The case was filed under the Women and Child Abuse Prevention Act at Narayanganj's Sonargaon Police Station on Friday morning, district Superintendent of Police Zaidul Alam said.

According to the statement, Jharna's married life with Shahidul Islam was going on 'happily in peace'. They have two children aged 18 and 13. Jharna met Mamunul Haque in 2005 as her husband's 'close friend'.

According to the plaintiff, Mamunul, in a minor domestic dispute, used his tactics to create distance between the husband and wife. At one stage of the domestic tug-of-war, he parted ways with Shahidul on August 10, 2016 due to Mamunul's 'bad advice'.

The woman complained that after the divorce, Mamunul "took advantage of her helplessness" and "persuaded" her to come to Dhaka. After coming to Dhaka, Mamunul left him at the house of various followers he knew and made various 'bad offers' to him.

Following this, the plaintiff alleged that he started having a sublet in a house in Kalabagan on the advice of Mamunul. But when it comes to marriage, Mamunul keeps on saying, 'I'm doing it, I'm going to do it.'

According to the statement, Mamunul used to take the plaintiff to various hotels and resorts from 2016 onwards. On April 3, Mamunul 'raped' her while taking her for a tour of the Royal Resort in Sonargaon, Narayanganj.

On that day, the locals blocked Mamunul along with the woman in a room of the Royal Resort in Sonargaon. Later, while interrogating Mamunul Haque, the students of Hefazat and Madrasa attacked and vandalized the resort and snatched him from the police.

According to the statement, Mamunul claimed Jharna as his second wife when the police arrived. He was later detained at the home of an acquaintance who did not allow him to enter their home; Didn't let anyone communicate. Police later rescued Jannat Ara Jharna from a house in Mohammadpur on the basis of her father's request.

Hefazat leaders and activists vandalized the Dhaka-Chittagong highway on that day. When the police went and tried to remove them from the highway, there were chases and clashes with the leaders and activists of Hefazat.

Narayanganj Sonargaon Police Station OC Rafiqul Islam has been recalled after Mamunul Haque was blocked at the resort and violent incidents arose. Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) TM Mosharraf Hossain was transferred.